I    Prinneton,  N.  J       ^<^—/       ;j| ! 

BX  7795    .C87  Q2 
Cox,   Samuel  H.  1793-1880. 
Quakerism  not  Christianity 
or 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/quakerismnotchriOOcoxs_0 


aUAKERISM 

NOT  CHRISTIANITY: 


OR, 


REASONS  FOR  DENOUNCING 


THE 


DOCTRINE  OF  FRIENDS. 


IN   THREE  PARTS. 


BY  SAMUEL  HANSON  COX,  D.  D. 

Potior  of  the  Laight-streei  Presbyterian  Church  i  and  for  twenty  year*  « 
Member  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 


Judge  not  according  to  the  appearances  but  judge  righteous  judgment.    John,  7  :  E5. 
Lo,  they  have  rejecte.l  the  word  of  the  Lord ;  and  what  wisdom  is  in  thera  ?  Jer.  8  :  9. 
We  have  renounced  the  liiddeu  things  of  dishonesty  ;  not  walking  in  craftiness,  nor  handling 

the  word  of  God  deceitfully;  Imt  by  manifestation  of  the  truth,  commending  ourselve*  to 

every  maD'a  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God.  2  Cor.  4  :  2. 


PRINTED  BY  D.  FANSHAW. 

SOLD  BY  JONATHAN  LEAVITT, 
182  Broadway,  New-York: 

AND  CROCKER  &  BREWSTER,  47  WASHINGTON-ST. 
BOSTON. 


1833. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1833,  by  Samuel  Han- 
son Cos,  D.  D.,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern 
District  of  New- York. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


The  reader  is  respectfully  requested  to  consult  in  his 
Bible  the  passages  to  which  reference  is  made  in  this 
work  ;  especially  those  which,  after  such  reference,  are 
discussed  or  expounded  without  being  quoted  at  large. 

The  quotations  of  latin  and  other  passages,  which  are 
improvidently  too  numerous  for  correct  taste,  it  may  be, 
have  been  on  review  mostly  retained,  as  the  chief  objec- 
tion to  them  is  perhaps  neutralized  by  the  consideration 
that  they  are  generally  translated,  or  their  meaning  is 
sufficiently  indicated  by  the  scope  or  connection  of  the 
argument,  which  they  are  designed  in  some  way  to  sub- 
serve. 

The  notes  are  embodied  at  the  end  of  the  volume,  as 
more  favorable  to  method  and  compactness,  if  not  pre- 
ferable also  on  the  scoi'c  of  utility. 

Many  peculiar  or  singular  expressions,  and  some  repe- 
titions of  thought,  occur  incidentally  and  unavoidably  in 
a  treatise  of  this  special  nature — and  often  with  a  relative 
aspect  which  all  readers  will  not  equally  discern.  The 
table  of  contents  following,  has  been  arranged  to  serve 
also  as  a  general  index. 

1 


2 


Let  it  be  remembered  that  principles  not  persons  are 
here  assailed ;  the  system,  not  purposely  the  indivi- 
duals who  hold,  more  than  those  who  deny  it.  The 
system  is  viewed  mainly  in  its  religious  aspect  only, 
and  contrasted  with  the  system  of  the  scriptures ;  and 
thence  pronounced  to  be  fundamentally  erroneous. 
Let  the  publication  be  so  regarded  and  judged — especially 
by  those  who  believe  that  it  is  no  advantage  to  be  edified 
for  eternity  on  a  false  foundation. 

What  I  ask  of  all  christians,  in  reference  to  it, 
whoever  they  may  be  and  wherever  they  may  reside,  is 
simply — to  do  justice,  and  not  desert  the  Master  in  regard 
to  it!  If  they  will  act  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  do  their 
duty;  and  defend  this  work  so  far  as  it  defends  Chris- 
tianity :  this  is  all  I  ask  of  them — and  this  a  greater 
than  any  of  us  demands.  It  would  indeed  grieve  me  to 
see  christians  siding  with  (Quakerism  against  Christianity: 
but,  even  then,  I  should,  have  a  resource — should  have, 
if  the  ninety-third  psalm  only  was  "written  for  our  learn- 
ing, that  we  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scrip- 
tures might  have  hope." 


errata. 

Last  line  but  one,  on  page  22 — serene  for  screen. 

Line  18,  on  page  29 — curtained  for  continued. 

Page  112,  line  8 — desiring  for  devising. 

Page  263,  line  fifth  from  the  bottom — eminently  for  evidently. 

Page  420,  last  line  but  one — secret  for  secrets. 

gcj-  Other  typographical  Inaccuracies  will  be  perceived,  which  it  seems  im- 
possible wholly  to  prevent ;  especially  as  a  new  orthography,  half  introduced, 
mystifies  the  operatives  at  the  printing-office,  ever  and  anon,  between  the  Walk- 
erimi  and  Webslerian  style  and  authority. 


CONTENTS. 


PART  FIRST. 

Harshness,  .... 

151 

Page. 

Sincerity,          .       .       .  . 

160 

Address  to  certain  ministers  of 

Sentiments  of  Dr.  Miller,  . 

165 

the  gospel,          .  • 

y 

Priest-craft,  .... 

167 

Their  probable  estimate  of  Qua- 

Confidence,      .       .       •  • 

175 

kerism,  .... 

1  f\ 
w 

Irreligious  sages,       .       .  . 

178 

Sentiments  of  Dr.  Alexander, 

J.1 

Changing  one's  religion,  . 

183 

Friends  a  society,  not  a  church, 

lo 

Union  of  the  evangelical  ministry, 

184 

The  author*s  conversionj  ■ 

lO 

Sectarianism,     .       .       .  • 

190 

Reluctance  to  leave  Friends^  • 

Orthodoxy  not  illiberal. 

195 

33 

Success — a  criterion, 

197 

Dealing's'*  at  Philadelphia, 

Forbearance  and  evidence. 

198 

Decision  to  profess  Christianity, 

A  A 

Quotation  from  Dr.  Woods, 

199 

Dedication  to  the  ministry, 

HO 

Quotation  from  Dr.  Beecher, 

202 

Disownment  by  FriendSj  note  14, 

ftO 

Quakerism,  a  synopsis. 

207 

Style  of  this  workj  • 

AQ 
fio 

Iniidels  prefer  Quakerism,  . 

216 

Barclay,  the  greatest  author  of 

Trinity,      .       .       .       .  . 

217 

Friends,  .... 

OU 

War,  .... 

234 

Logic,     .       .       .       .  • 

OZ 

Washington's  opinion,  • 

246 

Friends  averse  to  classical  learn- 

The  pacification  of  the  world, 

255 

ingj  

OD 

Conclusion,       .       .       .  . 

256 

UncharitablenesSy      .       .  ■ 

Ol 

Schism  in  the  body,  . 

68 

PART  SECOND. 

Believing  what  we  cannot  under- 

stand,   

80 

Mottos,     .      .       .       .  . 

261 

Distinction  between  the  mode 

Principles,  .... 

263 

and  the  fact, 

81 

Quotation  from  Dr.  Fitch,  •  . 

267 

George  Fox,  note  17, 

90 

Positions  of  truth, 

268 

Mystery,  

91 

Title  of  this  work,  what  it  means. 

277 

1  Tim.  3  :  16, 

93 

Definition  of  Christianity ,  . 

279 

Which  party  are  primitiveFriends,  94 

281 

Journal  of  George  Fox,      .  '  . 

101 

fnwnrH  licVit  tVii*  cTfinH  pt*mr 

282 

His  miracles,     .       '       .  . 

104 

Incapable  of  definition,      .  . 

284 

Apostates,         .       .       .  . 

108 

Conscience  all  the  thing  at  which 

Rom.  9  :  1-3,  note  23, 

111 

they  blindly  aim, 

286 

Motives  of  the  author, 

112 

The  Spirit, 

291 

Predicament  of  a  censurer. 

115 

1  John,  4  :  1-3, 

292 

Sophisms  of  Friends,  • 

118 

Confession  of  Friends, 

295 

The  Apostles,    .       .       .  . 

121 

Scriptures  superfluous, 

298 

1  Tim.  6  :  24,  25,       .       .  . 

127 

Different  modes  of  getting  rid  of 

Inspired  Interpretation, 

131 

them,      .       .       .       .  , 

299 

Heb.  2:9, 

133 

Inward-light  patriotism, 

305 

1  Cor.  15  :  22,  . 

134 

Rom.  8  :  14,  . 

309 

The  resurrection  of  the  body, 

135 

Inspired  actions, 

311 

Education  of  Friends, 

142 

They  make  God  himself  to  be — a 

Their  excellences,            .  , 

147 

rule  of  action,  , 

313 

4 


All  they  truly  know  comes  from  Sealing  of  the  canon,  .  490 


the  Bible, 

816 

Good  things  in  the  theatre. 

.  501 

Inward  light  among  the  heathen 

322 

Conclusion, 

.  503 

Anecdote, 

.  328 

No  salvation  but  that  of  Christ, 

337 

PART  THIRD. 

Practice  of  the  apostles, 

.  339 

Their  preaching, 

346 

Mottos,      .       .       .  . 

.  505 

Influences  of  the  Spirit, 

.  347 

A  sacrament. 

.  508 

Views  of  Friends, 

362 

Baptism,     .       .       .  . 

.  510 

Quakerism  chance-begotten, 

363 

Apostolic  practice, 

.  515 

The  catholic  views  not  those  of 

1  Pet.  3:21, 

.  51S 

Friends,         .       .  . 

366 

1  Cor.  1  :  14-17, 

.  519 

Texts  not  in  the  Bible, 

369 

Lay  baptism,      .       .  . 

.  521 

"  Winked  at," 

370 

Matth.  3  :  13-15, 

.  522 

Dr.  VVaugh,  anecdote, 

372 

Subjects  and  mode,  . 

.  527 

Sin  of  perverting  the  gospel, 

376 

Eph.  4:5, 

.  530 

The  scripture  vainly  quoted  to 

In  the  name  of,  . 

.  535 

support  their  views. 

377 

The  Lord's  supper,  . 

.  537 

Barclay's  great  proof-texts  ex- 

Friends' view. 

.  560 

amined,         .       .       .  . 

379 

1  Cor.  11  :  17-34, 

.  562 

Gen.  6:3, 

330 

2  Cor.  5  :  18-21, 

.  567 

Antediluvians, 

334 

'  Friends,'  three  &c.  . 

.  574 

Facilities  of  tradition, 

394 

Cardinal's  hat,  . 

.  579 

Rom.  10 :  8,       .       .  : 

395 

Beauties  of  nature,  . 

.  583 

The  word  of  God,  . 

393 

Restraint,    .       .  . 

586 

Justification,       .       .       .  . 

404 

Quakerism  waning  and  to  wane. 

589 

Barclay's  view, 

417 

Col.  2  :  20-23,  . 

.  591 

John,  1:9, 

424 

The  Christian  ministry, 

.  599 

Mistakes  of  inspiration, 

432 

Life-devotement, 

603 

Tit.  2:11, 

433 

How  Barclay  was  converted 

608 

1  Cor.  12  :  7, 

438 

A  call  to  the  ministry. 

611 

Plenary  inspiration  of  Fox, 

440 

Temporal  support,     .  . 

614 

Peculiar  testimonies,  ; 

445 

Matth.  10  :  8,  . 

620 

Isai.  28  :  16, 

448 

Example  of  Paul, 

625 

Isai.  30  :  21,  the  inward  teacher, 

449 

Anecdote, 

628 

2  Pet.  1:19, 

450 

Very  ancient  Friends, 

631 

Fox  in  Nottingham  steeple-house. 

451 

The  first  gratis  preacher,  . 

633 

Naked  "  for  a  sign  ;"  note  55, 

454 

Value  of  the  ministry. 

635 

Friend  Bevan,    .       .       .  . 

454 

Female  preachers, 

636 

Catacombs  of  Paris,  . 

460 

The  rule,           .  . 

638 

Sentiments  of  the  General  Assem- 

Their prohibition  not  partia 

,lo. 

bly  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 

462 

cal,  or  temporary. 

642 

What  saith  the  scripture,  . 

466 

Flattery  of  the  sex,  . 

644 

Quotation     from    Bishop  M'll- 

The  proper  sphere  of  fem 

ale 

vaine's  Evidences, 

468 

usefulness,      .  . 

646 

Quotation  from  Josephus, 

472 

Saying  of  Dr.  Mason, 

648 

Isai.  8  :  19-22,  .... 

477 

The  Bible  commended  to  Chris- 

Accountability,  .       .       .  . 

480 

tians, 

651 

Barclay's  vitiation  of  2  Tim,  3  : 

Conclusion,       .  , 

653 

14-17,    .       =       .       ,  . 

487 

Notes,  .... 

656 

THIS  VOLUWIE 


Is  particularly  and  most  respectfully  addressed  to  the 
Reverend 

Archibald  Alexander,  D.  D.  S.  T.  P.  Theological  Seminary,  Princeton,  N.  J. 
Samuel  Miller,  D.  D.  do.  do. 

Leonard  Woods,  D.  D.   S.  T.  P.  do.  Andover,  Mass. 

James  Richards,  D.  D.     S.  T.  P.  do.  Auburn,  N.  York. 

Matthew  La  Rue  Perrine,  D.  D.  do.  do. 

Nathaniel  W.  Taylor,  D.  D.  S.  T.  P.  do.        Yale  College,  Con. 

Lyman  Beecher,  D.  D.    S.  T.  P.     Lane  do.  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

*  George  A.  Baxter,  D.  D.  S.  T.  P.  Union       do.  Virginia. 
Edward  D.  GriflSn,  D.  D.  President  of  Williams'  College,  Massachusetts. 
Heman  Humphrey,  D.  D.       do.       Amherst  do.  do. 
Jeremiah  Day,  D.  D.  LL.  D.  do.     Yale  do.  Connecticut. 

Eliphalet  Nott,  D.  D.  do.     Union        do.  N.  York. 

Joshua  Bates,  D.  D.  do.     Middlebury  do.  Vermont. 

John  McDowell,  D.  D.  Pastor  of  the  Ist  Pres.  Church,  Elieabethtown,  N.  J. 
Nathan  S.  S.  Beman,  D.  D.  Pastor  of  the  1st  Presbyterian  Church,  Troy,  N.  Y. 
Ezra  Styles  Ely,  D.  D.  do.  3rd  do.  Philadelphia. 

*  I  insert  this  name  with  great  pleasure  here — though  the  place  was  re- 
served for  another,  now  "  triumphantly  "  removed  to  a  happier  world  ;  whom 
I  better  knew  than  I  have  been  privileged  to  know  his  worthy  and  honored 
successor  ;  and  whom  it  suits  the  feelings  of  my  heart  to  commemorate,  as 
best  I  may,  since  I  can  no  more — except  that  I  may  strive  to  imitate  and  com- 
mend the  example  of  one  of  the  most  useful  and  consistent  characters  in  the 
christian  ministry  ;  one  of  the  most  judicious  and  sound  divines,  which  our 
country  and  our  church  had  to  lose  or  has  been  called  to  mourn.  I  need 
not  write  his  name.  A  thousand  fleshly  tablets  and  some  more  durable  mon- 
uments, record  and  will  consecrate  it  in  the  gratitude  of  coming  ages  !  For 
strangers,  however,  it  may  be  necessary  I  refer  to  the  late 

Rev.  John  Holt  Rice,  D.  D.  of  Virginia. 


6 


Samuel  Fisher,  D.  D.  Pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Patterson,  N.  J. 
*  Thomas  H.  Skinner,  D.  D.  Pastor  of  the  5th  Presbyterian  Church,  Philad. 
t  Thomas  McAuley,  D.  D.  LL.  D.  do.  10th  do,  do. 

James  M.  Mathews,  D.  D.  do.  South  Dutch  Church,  N.  York. 

and  Chancellor  of  the  University  of  the  city  of  New  York. 
Thomas  De  Witt,  D.  D.  Assoc.  Pastor  of  the  Coll.  Dutch  Churches,  N.  Y. 
John  Woodbridge,"D.  D.  Pastor  of  the  Bowery  Presbyterian  Church,  N.  Y. 
Benjamin  B.  Wisner,  D.  D.  Sec.  of  the  Am.  B.  of  Com.  for  F.  Missions. 
Benjamin  H.  Rice,  D.  D.  Assoc.  Sec.  of  the  American  Home  Miss.  Society. 
Justin  Edwards,  D.  D.  Cor.  Sec.  of  the  American  Tern.  Soc.  Andover,  Mass. 

•  Now  (lately  inaugurated)  Theological  Seminary,  Andover,  Mass. 
t  Now  Pastor  (lately  installed)  of  the  Murray-street  Presbyterian  church, 
N.  York. 


PART  FIRST. 


INTRODUCTION  MISCELLANEOUS. 


Yea,  let  God  be  true,  but  every  man  a  liar ;  as  it  is  written.  Rom.  3  :  4. 
And  that  from  a  child  thou  hast  known  the  holy  scriptures,  which 

ARE  ABLE  TO  HAKE  THEE  WISE  UNTO  SALVATION  THROUGH  FAITH  WHICH  IS 

IN  Christ  Jesus.   2  Tim.  3  :  15. 

God — spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets.    Heb.  1  :  1. 

For  thou  hast  magnified  thy  word  above  all  thy  name.    Psalm  138  :  2. 

For  this  cause  also  thank  we  God  without  ceasing,  because,  when  ye  re- 
ceived the  word  of  God  which  ye  heard  of  us,  ye  received  it  not  as  the 
word  of  men,  but  as  it  is  in  truth  the  word  or  God,  which  effectually 
worketh  also  in  you  that  believe.    1  Thess.  2  :  13. 

And  he  said  unto  them.  Full  vrell  [very  piously]  ye  reject  the  command- 
ment of  God,  that  ye  may  keep  your  own  tradition  ;  making  the  word  of 
God  of  none  effect  through  your  tradition,  which  ye  have  delivered  :  and 
many  such  like  things  do  ye.    Mark,  7  :  9,  13. 

Howbeit,  in  vain  do  they  worship  me,  leaching  for  doctrines  the  com- 
mandments of  men.    Mark,  7  :  7. 

And  it  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass,  than  one  tittle  of  the  law  to 
fail.    Luke,  16  :  17. 

Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of 
God  :  because  many  false  prophets  are  gone  out  into  the  world.  1  John,  4  ;  1. 

To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony  :  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word, 
it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them.    Isaiah,  8  :  20. 

Cursed  be  he  that  doeth  the  work  of  the  Lord  deceitfully.   Jer.  48  :  10.  ; 


QUAKERISM  NOT  CHRISTIARTITT : 


OR  REASONS  FOR 

RBirouivciirG  the  DOCTnms  of  fxiiends. 

—  »— @©e— f)  — 

Fathers  and  Brethren, 

My  veneration  for  your  common  character  as 
ministers  of  the  gospel  of  our  glorious  Lord,  in- 
duces the  present  liberty  which  I  adventure  to  take 
with  your  names.  From  no  spirit  of  ostentation, 
and  with  no  desire  to  commit  you  before  the  public 
for  the  contents  of  these  pages,  do  I  avail  myself  of 
the  privilege.  Nor,  much  as  I  esteem  the  depth  and 
the  correctness  of  your  theological  erudition,  do  I 
addict  myself  to  call  any  one  of  you  Father,  in  a 
sense  which  may  imply  a  diminution  of  my  own  re- 
sponsibility to  Christ,  or  his  obscuration  as  the  only 
Bishop  of  bishops  rightfully  acknowledged  in  the 
church.  But,  as  I  suppose  there  is  a  substantial 
oneness  of  theological  sentiment  among  you,  in 
which  I  may  humbly  account  myself  to  participate ; 
as  I  know  you  will  approve  of  every  reasonable  at- 
tempt to  vindicate  "  the  holy  scriptures  "  against 
all  whc  contradict  or  degrade  them  ;  as  I  am  per- 
suaded of  your  enlightened  disapprobation,  in  com- 
mon with  all  consistent  christians,  touching  the 

2 


10 


erroneous  conceptions  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
especially  in  the  matter  of  the  end  and  office  of 
scriptural  Revelation ;  as  I  know  you  can  as  well 
appreciate  my  feelings  and  sentiments  in  the  pre- 
mises, perhaps,  as  any  persons  who  have  never  been 
by  education  faithfully  imbued  with  their  peculiar 
mistakes ;  as  I  sincerely  value  your  christian  and 
official  qualities,  and  am  delighted  on  any  occasion, 
as  on  this,  to  publish  my  deep  reverence  for  both; 
though  you  are  distributed  to  different  spheres  and 
distant  scenes  of  usefulness ;  yet,  aiding  one  cause, 
preaching  one  gospel,  having  the  same  Master,  the 
same  motive,  the  same  glorious  and  incomparable 
hope,  I  have  judged  it  proper  to  prefix  your  names 
to  this  Introduction,  and  formally  to  address  its 
pages,  and  virtually  the  entire  publication,  to  your- 
selves ;  "  though  it  may  serve  no  other  end  "  than 
to  evince  unity  in  the  greatest  and  best  pursuits, 
the  communion  of  christian  brotherhood,  and  the 
joint  inheritance  of  all  the  disciples  of  our  Lord  and 
Savior  Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  certain,  moreover,  that  your  concurrence,  in 
reprobating  the  errors  of  the  Quakers,  is  in  the  main 
entire.  I  consider  you,  therefore,  as  representing 
the  common  creed  of  Christendom,  or  rather  of  all 
enlightened  protestants,  in  opposition  to  the  system 
of  Friends.  I  consider  you  as  constituting  for  the 
time  a  moral  court,  before  whom  I  may  plead  the 
cause  of  truth,  and  whose  award,  whether  tacitly  or 
formally  announced,  the  christian  public  will  re- 
spect, I  doubt  not,  as  well  advised,  principled  and 
unanimous  ;  for,  in  such  a  case,  it  is  not  learning, 


11 


piety  and  independence,  that  wavers  or  quails  to 
human  prejudice. 

It  will  not  be  doubted  that  the  sentiments  of  one 
of  you,  as  cursorily  expressed  in  illustration  of  a 
kindred  subject,  may  be  applied  especially  to  this, 
and  fully  considered  as  the  sentiments  of  you  all. 
"  The  other  opinion  referred  to,  is  that  of  fanatics 
in  general,  who,  whilst  they  confess  that  the  scrip- 
tures are  divinely  inspired,  imagine  that  they  are 
possessed  of  the  same  inspiration.  And  some,  in 
our  own  times,  have  proceeded  so  far  as  to  boast 
of  revelations,  by  which  the  scriptures  are  entirely 
superseded,  as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  Now, 
the  difference  between  these  persons  and  the  holy 
men  of  God  who  wrote  the  scriptures,  consists  in 
two  things.  First,  the  inspired  writers  could  give 
some  external  evidence,  by  miracles  or  prophecy,  to 
prove  their  pretensions  ;  but  enthusiasts  can  furnish 
no  such  evidence  ;  and,  secondly,  the  productions 
of  the  prophets  and  apostles  were  worthy  of  God, 
and  had  his  impress  ;  but  the  discourses  of  those 
men,  except  what  they  repeat  from  scripture,  are 
wholly  unworthy  their  boasted  origin,  and  more  re- 
semble the  dreams  of  the  sick,  or  the  ravings  of  the 
insane,  than  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness.''^  ' 

Fanatical  persons,  who  "  cannot  teach,  and  will 
not  learn,"  abound  in  the  daughter  and  the  mother 
country,  and  are  not  confined  to  any  particular  com- 
munity of  professing  or  pretending  christians.  They 
are  found  in  Scotland,  Ireland,  the  United  States, 
and  throughout  the  christian  world.  It  would  be 
equally  fatiguing  and  unnecessary  to  write  their 


12 


different  names.  But  whatever  differences  distin- 
guish them,  they  all  agree  in  the  matter  of  degrading 
THE  ONLY  INSPIRED  VOLUME  ;  and  doing  this,  while 
we  leave  them  to  the  disposal  of  the  "  blessed  and 
only  Potentate,"  we  can  neither  join  in  the  worldly 
acclaim  that  praises  their  deeds  of  goodness,  nor 
recognise  them  as  members  of  the  church  visible  of 
our  glorious  Lord.  This,  they  and  the  world,  their 
sympathetic  allies,  ought  at  least  to  know.  If  they 
are  real  christians,  they  will  be  so  saved  at  last ; 
and  our  joy  will,  we  trust,  be  full,  when  we  witness 
the  event  in  eternity.  In  time,  however,  we  can 
acknowledge  no  man  without  the  distinctive  signals 
— not  of  a  party,  but  of  Christ.  It  may  be  a  ques- 
tion how  far  the  imperfection  of  those  signals  may 
extend  without  destroying  their  competency  ;  and 
that  question  we  may  hesitate  to  answer,  since,  ad- 
mitting the  defects  of  all,  it  is  difficult  to  know  with 
how  much  error,  ignorance  and  eccentricity,  piety 
may  co-exist.  "  Nevertheless,  the  foundation  of 
God  standeth  sure  ;  having  this  seal,  the  Lord  know- 
eth  them  that  are  his ;  and  let  every  one  that  7iameth 
the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity.'"  Signals 
also  are  not  vitals,  however  necessary  in  their  place  ; 
and  when  they  become  vitiated  and  ambiguous  in  a 
high  degree,  even  where  the  vitals  possihly  exist, 
we  do  not  decide  on  the  latter,  when  we  so  far  pass 
upon  the  former  as  to  withhold  all  christian  recog- 
nition and  fellowship,  from  the  erratic  or  disguised 
individuals  that  carry  them.  The  matter  is  much 
the  same,  when  all  the  king's  signals  are  superseded 
by  those  of  private  invention  and  preference,  or 


13 


when  they  are  so  mangled  aa  really  to  forego  their 
original  form,  color,  and  proportion.  There  are  few 
religious  radicals,  however,  who  have  so  boldly  re- 
trenched the  total  livery  of  the  service,  as  those 
christians  of  their  own  sort,  who  profess  to  be, 
very  properly,  not  a  chnrch,  but  a  "  Society ;"  not 
brethren,  but  "  Friends ;"  and  who  often,  in  their 
public  statements,  and  sometimes  in  the  peculiar 
symbols  of  their  faith,  think  it  quite  sufficient,  where 
we  all  expect  some  show  at  least  of  divine  warrant 
for  their  singularities,  to  use,  "  Friends  believe ;  the 
society  prefer  ;  it  is  our  custom  ;  it  was  the  opinion 
of  ancient  Friends  ;  we  are  content  to  adopt ;  it  ap- 
pears manifest  to  us ;  it  was  the  practice  of  early 
Friends  ;"  and  other  such  phrases  innumerable ; 
which,  though  quite  habituated  with  them,  are  as 
incapable  of  convincing  any  well  disciplined  mind, 
as  they  are  destitute  of  all  rational  evidence.  If  it 
was  the  office  of  faith  to  create  its  own  objects,  and 
a  thing  became  true  simply  because  one  believed  it, 
the  reality  of  faith  would  be  the  criterion  of  truth  ; 
the  monstrosities  of  distempered  fancy  would  be- 
come identical  with  the  realities  of  godliness  ;  and 
every  insane  zealot  would  create  a  new  universe 
for  himself !  How  melancholy  the  delusion  of  enthu- 
siasts !  "  For  he  stretcheth  out  his  hand  against 
God,  and  strengtheneth  himself  against  the  Al- 
mighty. He  runneth  upon  him,  even  on  his  neck, 
upon  the  thick  bosses  of  his  bucklers."  Job,  15  :  25, 
26.  Let  not  him  thai  is  deceived  trust  in  vanity; 
for  vanity  shall  be  his  recompense,"  31.  But  very 
certainly  do  they  know,  whose  knowledge  has  cost 


14 


them  no  labor,  intellectual  or  moral ;  and  very  clear- 
ly do  they  see,  who  discern  intuitively  all  mysteries, 
actual,  possible,  and  transcendental !  The  conviction 
that  comes  without  evidence,  or  with  that  only  which 
it  makes  for  itself,  is  very  strong  and  venturous,  as 
well  as  ordinarily  incorrigible.  To  doubt  its  demon- 
strations, is  profane  !  To  question  its  dogmas,  is  in- 
fidel !  To  contradict  its  hallowed  audacity,  is  abso- 
lutely impious  !  And  thus  their  career  is  sped.  But 
will  the  eternal  frame  of  things  give  way  to  them  \ 
Alas  !  it  is  impregnable.  Its  structure  is  more  dura- 
ble, changeless,  arid  excellent,  than  their  inspired 
imaginings  perceive.  To  fall  on  a  certain  "  stone," 
is  to  break,  not  it,  but  one's  self:  but  to  have  that 
stone  fall  on  us,  is  the  judicial  method  of  God,  in 
"  grinding  to  powder"  his  adversaries.  Luke,20:  18. 
Hence  they  voluntarily  and  wantonly  elaborate  their 
own  ruin.  The  moral  enactments  of  God  are  the 
strongest  fixtures  in  the  universe.  Jer.  31  :  35,  37  ; 
Matth.  24  :  35.  Our  temporal  and  eternal  salvation 
must,  in  eveiy  instance,  prosper  or  fail,  in  accord- 
ance— not  in  contravention — to  the  laws  of  his  own 
unalterable  constitution. 

The  rock  must  fall,  when  loosened  from  on  high 
Or — gravitation  cease,  when  uou  go  by  ! 

But  this  is  what  enthusiasts  do  not  credit,  or  vision- 
aries see.  They  seem  to  think  they  can  certainly 
control  or  reverse  eternal  laws,  if  they  are  only 
faithful  and  sincere  !  And  yet  what  is  their  history  1 
Their  bones  whiten  the  plain,  to  warn  succeeding 
pilgrims  !   Instead  of  changing  the  universe,  they 


15 


only  confound  themselves !  Instead  of  altering  the 
truth  of  God,  they  wildly  sin  against  his  nature  and 
his  name  !  Instead  of  realizing  their  selfish  antici- 
pations of  his  favor,  their  reckless  temerity  merely 
challenges  his  wrath !  Of  this  he  has  fully  warned 
them :  "  Behold,  all  ye  that  kindle  a  fire,  that  com- 
pass yourselves  about  with  sparks  :  walk  in  the  light 
of  your  fire,  and  in  the  sparks  that  ye  have  kindled. 
This  shall  ye  have  of  my  hand  ;  ye  shall  lie  down 
in  sorrow."  Isaiah,  50  :  11. 

Ever  since  the  charm  of  Quakerism,  in  which  I 
had  been  nurtured,  was  dissolved  by  the  unmystical 
verities  of  the  Bible,  I  have  held  it  my  especial 
duty  to  publish  something  for  the  benefit  of  others, 
that  might  evince  the  main  articles  of  difference  be- 
tween the  two  systems.  As  already  intimated,  you, 
fathers  and  brethren,  can  know  experimentally  al- 
most nothing  of  the  long  troublous  agony  attendant 
on  such  a  revolution  !  In  ordinary  conversions  from 
sin  to  Christ,  it  is  in  general  adventitiously  neces- 
sary to  experience  bitterness,  anguish,  and  even 
convulsion  of  soul ;  I  say  adventitiously,  for  all  this 
results  not  from  the  constitution  of  the  gospel,  or 
the  nature  of  religion  ;  but  from  the  embattled  ele- 
ments of  human  pride,  ignorance,  and  obstinacy, 
as  they  clash  with  the  ethereal  armor  of  the  Al- 
mighty. But  in  a  conversion  from  deep-seated  and 
sanctimonious  error,  there  are  superadded  and  ter- 
rible obstacles  to  be  surmounted.   Often,  especially 
in  the  first  stages  of  the  influence  of  truth,  did  I 
feel  the  terrific  contest !  Often  the  strength  of  hal- 
lowed prejudice  rose  in  its  vigor  to  contradict  the 


16 


plain  and  "  true  sayings  of  God  !"  Often  had  I  to 
read  it  again  and  again,  in  the  page  of  genuine  in- 
spiration, before  I  could  realize  the  conviction  that 
I  had  been  speciously  deceived  by  a  thousand  tes- 
timonies of  a  counterfeit  inspiration  !  So  great  M^as 
my  jealousy  of  influence  from  all  Anti-Quaker  in- 
structors, that  I  received  the  books  of  their  wisdom 
with  dread,  and  laid  them  aside  unperused,  that  I 
might  "  search  the  scriptures"  alone.  Providence 
had  placed  me,  more  than  a  year  before  that  crisis — 
memorable  to  me,  in  a  village  (Newark,  N.  Jersey) 
where  the  Society  had  not  one  nominal  member, 
with  the  exception  of  myself.    There  I  often  en- 
countered those  who  differed  from  me,  and  with 
whom  I  was  always  prompt  to  argue  in  favor  of  the 
tenets  in  which  I  had  been  educated.  That  I  argued 
uniformly,  and  with  high  conviction  at  least,  many 
living  witnesses  can  attest ;  and  what  sorely  worst- 
ed me  in  the  argument,  generally,  was — the  apt  and 
frequent  quotation  of  texts,  of  whose  scriptural  ex- 
istence I  was  ignorant !  One  female  disputant,  who, 
though  not  ineloquent,  was  fluent,  and  pointed, 
"  and  mighty  in  the  scriptures ;"  the  venerable, 
and  now,  I  trust,  glorified "  Mrs.  Douglass,  (wife  of 
the  exceUent,  and  also,  I  trust,  glorified  person^  with 
whom  I  then  boarded,)  a  lady  to  whom,  under  God, 
I  am  happy  in  the  opportunity  of  recording  my  deep 
obhgations  ;  she  ever  succeeded  in  disputation,  by 
that  celestial  weaponry  with  which  I  was  unpro- 
vided, and  which  she  used,  with  skill  and  courage, 
against  the  light  within  and  all  its  arrogant  mani- 
festations. I  attribute  my  conversion  to  Christianity 


17 


very  much  instrumentalhj  to  her  wisdom,  benevolence, 
and  valor,  for  the  truth  .'  If  I  constructed  a  syllogism 
that  appeared  to  me  invincible,  and  confidently  pro- 
pounded the  premises  for  her  admission,  that  I 
might  force  her  to  admit  the  conclusion  also,  she 
would  exclaim,  "  You  are  all  wrong,  my  child,  in 
premise  and  conclusion  both;  your  soul  is  as  blind 
as  the  inward  light  can  make  it ;  you  are  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins,  destitute  of  every  spark  of  godli- 
ness, and  must  be  born  again,  thoroughly  changed 
in  your  thoughts,  affections,  and  reasonings,  or  you 
will  be  certainly  lost."  She  would  then  aptly  quote 
some  passages  from  the  Bible,  which,  often  like  ja- 
velins projected  by  the  force  of  the  warrior,  pierced 
my  bosom  and  left  me  neither  peace  nor  hope.  But 
still  I  neglected  the  Bible,  and  ruminated,  more  than 
I  was  willing  should  be  known  by  others,  on  the  pos- 
sibility that  inspiration  itself,  as  connected  with  the 
Quakers,  might  be  wrong !  My  father  had  carefully 
educated  me  in  the  principles  of  Friends  ;  and  I 
may  be  permitted  to  say  of  him,  though  he  lived 
but  four  days  in  the  present  century,  that  all  his  in- 
fluence was,  so  far  as  I  can  recollect,  (being  only  in 
my  eighth  year  when  he^  died,)  i-ery  different  from 
that  of  the  generality  of  Friends  ;  and  this,  particu- 
larly, in  the  grand  items  of  reverence  for  "  the  holy 
scriptures  ;"  a  practical  and  conscientious  regard 
for  "  the  Lord's  day  ;"  and  boldness  for  the  truth  of 
religion  among  its  adversaries  ;  uniform  decision  in 
the  cause  of  virtue  ;  a  nice  sense  of  honor ;  an  un- 
feigned charitableness  toward  all  serious  chris- 
tians ;  and  an  inflexible  consistency  of  deportment. 

3 


18 


He  was  an  example  of  universal  temperance  ;  ten- 
derly humane  and  self-denying  in  his  offices  of  be- 
neficence, and  distinguished  as  the  friend  of  the 
black-man  in  all  his  degradations.  In  these  re- 
spects his  eldest  son  may  be  allowed  to  pay  a  tear- 
ful, solemn,  and  most  affectionate  tribute  to  his 
memory  !  I  will  add,  that  he  was  often  pained  with 
the  scepticism,  or,  at  least,  the  looseness  of  principle 
which  he  observed  among  his  people,  and  even  their 
preachers,  in  regard  to  the  truths  of  religion,  the 
sanctity  of  the  scriptures,  and  the  obligation  of  the 
christian  Sabbath !  My  venerable  and  sincerely 
honored  mother  had  always,  and  with  tears,  follow- 
ed the  same  course  of  inculcatioil ;  only  that  she 
was,  more  than  others  of  the  society  with  whom  I 
have  been  acquainted,  distinguished,  at  least,  for 
some  decision  of  faith  in  the  article  of  Christ's  vica- 
rious death — not  that  he  dies,  and  rises,  and  as- 
cends, and  intercedes,  within  us,  (as  they  often  say,) 
but  that  he  died  "  without  the  gate  "  of  Jerusalem, 
and  there  made  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  men. 
This  /  ascribe  much  to  the  fact,  that  her  earlier 
education  was  purely  Presbyterian.  She  was  bap- 
tized by  the  excellent  Dr.  Sproat^  of  (Arch- street) 
Philadelphia  ;  and  often  listened  to  his  instructions 
and  exhortations  with  great  interest — remembering 
many  of  his  expressions,  especially  at  the  communion 
table,  and  venerating  his  devotional  piety,  sometimes 
not  without  tears,  to  the  present  day  ! 

When,  therefore,  I  found  Mrs.  Douglass so  tena- 
cious of  the  scripture,  so  disdainful  of  every  pre- 
tender to  superiority  or  even  equality  with  these 


19 


"  lively  oracles ;"  when  others  also,  with  whom  I 
less  frequently  conversed,  appeared  to  me  possessed 
of  thorough  knowledge  in  religion,  and  really  to  be- 
lieve the  eternal  truth  of  scripture  very  much  as  I 
believed  the  facts  of  geography  or  the  matters  of 
daily  life  ;  when,  also,  I  had  frequent  opportunities 
of  hearing  the  gospel  preached,  and  that  by  diffe- 
rent ambassadors  of  God,  and  of  witnessing  the 
administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  as  well  as 
christian  baptism  ;  neither  of  which  I  had  ever  be- 
fore witnessed  !  I  became  uneasy  and  troubled  in 
spirit.  I  knew  not  the  cause,  nor  even  the  nature 
of  my  unhappiness.  Sinners  under  the  special  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit  of  God,  a  revival  of  religion,  I 
had  never  seen.  I  knew  not  that  any  creature  had 
ever  felt  as  I  felt,  or  that  there  was  any  excellence 
of  nature  or  promise  in  such  agitation.  So  pungent 
was  the  misery,  so  undefined  and  unappreciated  the 
influence,  that  I  was  not  even  aware  of  its  con- 
nection with  religion.  Consequently  I  tried  every 
means  in  my  power  to  dissipate  it.  I  went  into 
company,  frequented  parties,  invented  sports,  com- 
menced the  study  of  the  French  language  with  an 
accomplished  French  gentleman,  whose  manners 
and  society  pleased  me,  but  whose  principles  of 
fatalism,  and  whose  habits  of  profligacy,  shocked 
me  ;  for,  to  these  things  I  had  not  been  habituated. 
Finding,  at  last,  that  every  effort  was  vain,  and 
every  resource  insipid,  I  resolved  to  study  more 
diligently,  to  try  to  excel  in  my  profession,  and  to 
pursue  this,  to  the  exclusion  of  eveiy  thing  else,  as 
my  supreme  good,  being  then  occupied  in  the  office 


20 


of  a  respectable  counsellor,  as  a  student  of  law. 
Hence  I  studied  laboriously,  and  with  a  kind  of 
phrensied  determination.  I  separated  from  asso- 
ciates, and  tried  to  wear  the  vizor  of  misanthropy, 
that  I  might  keep  all  intruders  at  a  distance.  Here 
a  new  misery  disturbed  me.  /  could  not  keep  my 
mind,  as  formerly,  on  the  topics  and  paragraphs  of 
the  law  book !  Not  even  the  style  of  Blackstone, 
of  which  I  had  always  been  enamoured,  could  retain 
my  strangely  discursive  thoughts.  I  felt  a  kind  of  ro- 
mantic curiosity  to  study  the  scriptures,  and  made 
it  a  virtue  to  deny  myself  the  pleasure.  It  appeared 
a  random,  unprofitable  longing  of  the  mind,  that  re- 
quired, as  it  received,  a  resolute  coercion.  /  zcill 
study,  was  my  half  angry  motto.  And  so  I  did,  la- 
boriously, and  to  no  purpose.  I  went  over  a  page, 
perhaps  ten  times,  and  could  not  retain  one  line  or 
thought  of  it.  The  book  appeared  like  "vanity," 
and  the  study  like  "  vexation  of  spirit."  Still  I  per- 
severed ;  grew  daily  more  wretched  ;  and  felt  that 
I  had  no  friend  in  the  world  to  whom  I  could  un- 
bosom my  sorrows  and  disburden  my  soul !  Alas  ! 
that  "  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother," 
that  "  laid  down  his  life  for  his  friends,"  and  who  in- 
vites us  all  to  "  come  unto  him,"  especially  when 
"  weary  and  heavy  laden,"  and  promises  that  we 
"  shall  find  rest  to  our  souls ;"  who  invites  us  to 
"  cast  all  our  care  upon  him,  knowing  that  he  careth 
for  us  ;"  that  unequaled  friend  I  little  knew,  and  had 
never  proved  !  One  day,  while  vacantly  meditating 
over  a  law  book,  not  on  its  contents,  but  on  the 
atheism  of  Diderot  and  other  authors,  officiously 


21 


loaned"  me  by  my  French  instructor,  and  which  I 
had  perused  and  returned  weeks  before,  it  was 
strangely  impressed  on  my  mind  that  I  had  better 
turn  atheist,  if  I  could,  for  the  sake  of  consistency  ; 
for  he  is  consistent,  thought  I,with  himself,  who,  nev- 
er worshipping  God,  also  denies  his  existence ;  but 
for  me  there  is  no  such  honor.  I  acknowledge  his 
being,  and  live  as  if  I  had  ascertained  the  contrary  ! 
I  was  much  agitated,  but  broke  the  somnium  with  my 
motto,  I  will  study.  Thus  passed  away  my  days  for 
many  weeks  ;  till  once,  when  particularly  chagrined 
at  the  lubricity  of  law  in  its  contact  with  my  efforts 
of  mind  to  retain  it,  my  attention  was  suddenly  fixed 
and  charmed  with  the  volume.  I  felt  a  relief  and  a  re- 
creation of  mind  such  as  had  long  been  unknown. 
My  two  diverse  objects  were  unexpectedly  blended  ; 
the  desire  to  investigate  scripture  and  the  resolve  to 
study  seemed  to  meet  at  once,  and  be  strangely  re- 
conciled. 

This  unexpected  pleasure  was  produced  by  the 
occurrence  of  a  scriptural  quotation  from  Matt.  5 : 
25,  "  Agree  with  thine  adversary  quickly,  whilst  thou 
art  in  the  way  with  him."  It  was  in  the  third  vo- 
lume of  Blackstone,  chap.  20,  p.  298,  on  Pleading. 
The  topic  respected  preliminary  measures  with  the 
parties,  with  a  view  to  produce  a  reconciliation  and 
prevent  a  law-suit.  The  usage,  in  the  opinion  of 
that  accomplished  jurist,  was  founded  on  the  above 
passage  of  the  gospel ;  which  he  seemed  to  com- 
mend and  revere.  His  remarks  appeared  excellent 
and  applicable  to  those  who  have  a  controversy  to 
settle  with  God.    So  I  applied  them ;  and  thought,  O 


22 


that  mine  could  be  settled  in  the  way  before  it  comes 
to  bar !  O  that  there  could  be  a  liberty  of  im- 
parlance, or  licentia  loqiiendi,  to  "  end  the  matter 
amicably  without  further  suit,  by  talking  with  the 
plaintiff!"  In  other  places^  also,  my  author,  I  re- 
membered, had  not  infrequently  quoted  the  sayings 
of  scripture,  particularly  the  writings  of  Moses,  with 
reverence  for  the  sacred  volume  and  an  implied 
panegyric  on  the  Jewish  lawgiver.  I  quickly  re- 
verted to  several  instances,  and  compared  them. 
Here  I  felt,  unknown  before,  the  impression  which 
atheistical  writers  had  already  made  on  my  mind. 
Moses  seemed  a  mean,  deluded  Jew  ;  and  I  was  as- 
tounded that  such  a  writer  as  Blackstone  should  so 
compliment  his  law  knowledge,  and  admit  his  inspi- 
ration. Reflection,  however,  corrected  the  revery  ; 
and  conscience  whispered,  you  are  the  weak,  mean, 
ignorant,  deluded,  sinful  one!  My  enjoyment  not- 
withstanding was  great.  I  was  arrested,  entertain- 
ed, absorbed.  From  an  ocean  of  agitating  storms 
and  incumbent  night,  I  had  suddenly  found  tran- 
quil moorings,  open  day,  a  hospitable  welcome,  and 
a  palatable  repast. 

Intus  aquse  dulces,  vivoque  sedilia  saxo ; 
Nympharum  domus  ;  hie  fessas  non  vincula  naves 
Ulla  tenent,  unco  nonalligat  anchora  morsu. — ViRG. 

Within  are  waters  of  sweetness  found, 
And  couches  of  living  rock  surround. 
The  home  of  the  nymphs ;  where  vessels  moor, 
Fatigued  from  the  ocean,  and  rest  secure. 
No  cables  fix  their  hulls  to  the  strand; 
Nor  anchor  chains  to  nethermost  land. 
There  zephyrs  of  peace  screen  the  cove ; 
Its  breath  is  summer,  its  whisper  love. 


23 


I  was  delightfully  engrossed ;  and  finding  that  to 
proceed  with  regular  study  was  to  lose  the  attrac- 
tive objects — was  to  launch  out  again  into  the  in- 
clement element,  and  that  the  margin  of  the  page 
on  which  my  eye  then  rested,  referred  me  to  the 
chapter  and  verse  of  the  Pentateuch  where  I  might 
also  study  other  words  of  that  ancient  lawyer  at 
large,  I  arose  with  alacrity  (being  then  alone  in 
the  office)  and  went  to  that  corner  of  the  library 
where  our  learned  preceptor  kept  his  very  valuable 
volumes  of  theology.  There  I  found  a  Bible,  and 
hastily  snatching  it,  I  was  soon  fixed  in  the  perusal 
of  the  connection  to  which  I  was  referred.  Thus  a 
quotation  in  a  laic-hook  was,  in  providence,  asso- 
ciated with  my  first  or  best  convictions  in  religion ; 
it  brought  me  to  read  the  scriptures,  and  was  a  link 
in  that  chain  of  causes  that  ultimately  bound  me  in 
a  relation  not  (I  trust)  to  be  dissolved,  to  the  salva- 
tion that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  "Whoso  is  wise,  and 
will  observe  these  things,  even  they  shall  understand 
the  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord."    Psalm  107  :  43. 

Though  my  religious  exercises  were  perhaps 
marked  and  interesting,  possibly  edifying,  I  have 
hitherto  delayed,  though  often  requested  and  some- 
times importuned,  to  write  their  history.  My  rea- 
sons for  this  were  several  and  satisfactory.  One  was, 
that  I  was  new  in  religion,  and  always  have  felt  a 
dread  of  dishonoring  that  holy  name  by  which  I  am 
called,  and  sometimes  (not  habitually)  an  awful  fear 
of  ultimate  rejection.  This  may  seem  strange  to 
some  who  know  that  I  profess  the  doctrine  of  the 
perseverance,  or  rather  the  conservation,  of  all  genuine 


24 


believers.    It  would  not,  however,  seem  strange  to 
them  if  they  also  knew  that  doctrine  ;  of  which  I 
have  no  doubt  at  all,  and  am  just  as  fully  assured 
of  it,  as  that  these  words  and  a  thousand  others  are 
true  :  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them, 
and  they  follow  me :  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal 
life  ;  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any 
pluck  them  ont  of  my  hand.    My  Father,  who  gave 
them  unto  me,  is  greater  than  all ;  and  none  is  able 
to  plnck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand.    I  and  my 
Father  are  one."   John,  10:  27-30.   This  decisive 
passage,  spoken  to  malignant  Jews,  is  immediately 
preceded  by  these  words  :  "  But  ye  believe  not ;  be- 
cause ye  are  not  of  my  sheep,  as  I  said  unto  you." 
26.    I  believe  and  am  sure  that  such  is  the  doctrine 
of  the  total  Bible,  and  that  there  is  not  one  text  that 
asserts  the  contrary,  or  that  does  not  rather  imply 
and  teach  the  infallible  perseverance  of  all  real 
christians ;  and  this,  after  a  very  thorough  exami- 
nation of  all  the  passages  upon  which  some  super- 
ficially rely  to  prove  that  chance,  or  Satan,  or  some 
other  agent,  "  is  able  to  pluck  "  the  sheep  of  Christ 
out  of  his  hands.    Apostates  from  the  faith  might 
have  had  the  experiences  of  "  stony-ground  "  hear- 
ers, each  of  whom    dureth  for  a  while,  yet  hath  he 
no  root,  in  himself ;"  but  they  were  always  actuated 
by  some  bad  motive  of  deceit  or  sin,  and  so  were  al- 
ways graceless.    "  They  went  out  from  us,  because 
they  were  not  of  us."    1  John,  2  :  19.    But  what  of 
all  this  1    Does  this  ascertain  or  imply  that  I  am  a 
christian,  and  shall  not  yet  apostatize,  and  finally 
perish  I  Not  at  all !  There  is  rational  space  for  self- 


25 


diffidence  and  self-examination  ;  yea,  there  is  no 

DOCTRINE  THAT  SO  MUCH  INSPIRES    BOTH,   aS  that 

which  I  have  just  stated  and  confessed  :  nor  are 
there  any  religionists  whose  personal  assurance  or 
presumption  is  so  daring  and  void  of  all  humility,  as 
some,  I  might  say  many,  who  hold  the  opposite  doc- 
trine !  Yes !  persons  who  believe,  they  say,  that 
there  are  no  spiritual  attainments  inconsistent  with 
eventual  perdition  possible  to  he  made  in  this  world, 
are  the  very  persons  whose  confidence  of  ultimate 
salvation  is  at  once  most  towering  and  secure ! 
Having  however  lived  twenty  years  in  the  school 
of  Christ,  and  "by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who 
loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me,"  Gal.  2 :  20,  and 
being  convinced  that  some  history  of  my  change 
ought  to  accompany  this  treatise,  I  do  very  diffi- 
dently consent  to  the  sketching  of  its  outlines  as 
herewith  presented,  in  the  hope  that  the  recital  may 
benefit  some  readers,  and  will  injure  none.  It 
ought  however  to  be  remembered  that  an  outline  is 
not  a  full  picture  ;  and  that  the  best  finishing  of  a 
truth-directed  sketch  is  that  of  a  corresponding  per- 
sonal experience.  Still,  experiences  are  not  the 
gospel :  they  are  the  mere  results  of  the  gospel,  in 
its  operation,  in  given  circumstances,  on  the  mind 
and  heart  and  life  of  an  individual. 

Without  more  detail  of  incidents,  dear  to  my  me- 
mory, but  of  less  interest  to  others,  suffice  it  that  I 
now  commenced  the  reading  of  the  scriptures 
alone,  and  in  good  earnest.  My  solemn  purpose  was 
to  explore  the  sacred  book,  and  know  from  itself 
what  it  contained,  and  what  were  the  internal  proofs 

4 


26 


of  its  divinity.  Conviction  increased  as  I  proceeded, 
and  soon  became  overpowering.  But  here  several 
things  occurred  to  dissuade  me,  in  vain,  from  de- 
cision in  so  plain  and  so  high  a  course  of  duty. 
Among  others,  these  two  :  first,  "  If  you  accredit  the 
Bible,  and  adopt  it  as  your  highest  rule  in  religion, 
what  will  become  of  the  inward  light  V  I  saw  that 
they  were  two,  and  rivalrous  of  each  other's  claims  ; 
and  that  no  Quaker  could  consistently  appropriate 
the  Bible  according  to  its  own  demands  as  the  word 
of  God.  Again,  the  awful  revolution  in  all  7ny  so- 
cial relationships,  which  must  inevitably  ensue,  as 
the  consequence  of  "  obedience  to  the  heavenly 
vision,"  hy  the  scriptures  manifested  to  my  mind. 
These  things,  with  others  that  I  omit  to  name,  held 
me  in  a  suspense  of  agony.  I  was  alone,  and  no 
mortal  knew  or  sympathized  with  the  solemn  hour. 
The  scenes  of  a  future  world ;  the  sanctions  of 
eternity  ;  the  insignificance  of  time  ;  the  worth  of 
the  soul ;  the  absolute  necessity  of  obedience ;  the 
solemnity  of  the  crisis  ;  the  supremacy  of  the  divine 
judgment  in  the  case  ;  and  the  safety  of  securing 
the  approbation  of  God ;  together  with  the  certain 
conviction  that,  at  all  events,  there  could  be  no  ulti- 
mate danger  in  adhering  "to  the  law  and  to  the  tes- 
timony ;"  since,  whatever  might  be  true,  with 
respect  to  my  old  doctrine  of  "  the  light  within," 
must  be  somewhere  indicated  in  a  volume  whose 
truth  Friends  themselves  admitted.  These  con- 
siderations, under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
at  last  prevailed ;  my  knees  bowed,  my  soul  bowed 
with  them,  for  the  first  time  in  my  life ;  I  wor- 


27 


shipped,  prayed,  and  solemnly  devoted  myself  to 
the  Author  of  my  being  and  the  hope  of  my  soul, 
to  he  his  for  ever,  to  follow  Jesus  Christ  "  through 
good  report  and  evil  report ;"  and  by  his  "  strength 
made  perfect  in  weakness,"  to  glorify  him  in  the 
ways  of  truth,  through  time  and  through  eternity. 
As  soon  as  I  had  made  this  surrendry,  conscious  as 
I  was  of  its  unspeakable  solemnity  and  perfect 
irretrievableness,  I  was  assaulted  with  a  fierce 
temptation,  with  a  succession  of  "  fiery  darts  of 
the  wicked "  one,  all  mainly  in  this  form :  You 
have  made  a  vow  which  you  will  never  keep ;  you 
have  perjured  your  soul  for  ever ;  you  are  lost !  You 
be  religious  !  You  are  a  hypocrite,  a  fool,  a  fiend  ! 
You  will  apostatize  in  less  than  three  weeks,  and, 
at  last,  make  your  bed  in  hell— a  hateful,  ruined 
wretch!  Alas!  thought  I,  it  is  certainly  true.  I 
am  wicked,  and  never  felt  worse  than  now  that  I 
wish  to  be  good !  Here  my  sins  began  to  disgorge 
themselves  to  my  view.  "  Sin  revived,  and  I  died — 
and  the  commandment,  which  was  ordained  to  life, 
I  found  to  be  unto  death.  For  sin,  taking  occasion 
by  the  commandment,  deceived  me,  and  by  it  slew 
me.  Wherefore  the  law  is  holy,  and  the  command- 
ment holy,  and  just,  and  good."  And  thus  it  was 
that  sin  "  became  exceeding  sinful "  in  my  renewed 
perceptions.  For  several  weeks  my  situation  was 
wretched,  indescribably  wretched.  I  had  plighted 
my  being  to  serve  my  Maker  ;  but  this  implied  that 
I  should  become  qualified  for  the  service  that  was 
spiritual,  and  filial,  and  august.  Instead  of  this, 
it  was  gloom,  sin,  and  fearful  anticipation.    I  had 


28 


no  peace,  and  hope  seemed  a  phantom  of  indefinite 
characteristics  that  continually  eluded  my  grasp.  I 
was  much  alone  ;  "  with,  other  views  of  men  and 
manners  now,  and  others  of  a  life  to  come." 

Forsaking,  and  forsaken  of  all  friends, 
I  now  perceived  where  earthly  pleasure  ends  ; 
Hard  task  for  one  who  lately  knew  no  care, 
And  harder  still,  as  learnt  beneath  despair. 

****** 

God's  holy  word,  once  trivial  in  my  view. 

Now,  by  the  voice  of  my  experience  true. 

Seemed,  as  it  is,  the  fountain  whence  alone 

Must  spring  that  hope  I  longed  to  make  my  o'wn. — Cowper. 

One  thing  that  marked  this  dark  hour,  or  rather 
month,  in  my  memory,  was  a  peculiar  conviction  of 
sin  !  not  only  of  its  superlatively  evil  nature,  that 
deserves  all  that  God  denounces  against  it  in  his 
word,  and  that  I  was  such  a  sinner  as  his  truth  de- 
scribes ;  but  that  I  had  sinned  unutterably  much 
against  his  gospel,  in  slighting  it,  and  specially 
against  his  holy  word,  in  daring  to  reason  against 
it !  The  insolence  and  the  insufferable  abomination 
of  such  neglect  of  "  the  oracles  of  God  "  appeared 
to  me,  as  seen  in  the  light  of  the  goodness  and  the 
greatness  of  their  adorable  Author,  astonishingly  evil ! 
And  I  wondered  why  I  was  not  in  hell ;  it  seemed 
to  me  that  I  ought  to  go  there,  and  that  if  I  had 
any  virtue  I  should  approve  of  the  righteousness 
and  excellency  of  such  a  measure,  as  what  ought  to 
be.  It  seemed  impossible  that  I  should  ever  be 
saved — translated  to  those  halcyon  seats  of  God, 
and  admitted  to  his  holy  presence  for  ever !  The  de- 


29 


gree  of  these  exercises,  depending,  in  part,  as  I  now 
suppose,  upon  the  singular  ardency  of  my  native 
temperament,  I  do  not  attempt  to  describe ;  and 
would  scarcely  rehearse  to  my  nearest  friend  the 
forms  of  excessive  perturbation  that  harrowed  up 
my  soul  till  the  fearful  conflict  was  over !  This  oc- 
curred one  night,  on  my  knees,  by  my  bedside. 
The  service  of  prayer  had  before  seemed  at  once 
impossible  to  be,  by  me,  either  omitted  or  perform- 
ed. Then  it  was  easy,  it  was  delightful.  How 
long  I  now  continued  praising  rather  than  praying 
in  this  posture,  I  know  not.  But  this  I  know,  that 
my  soul  seemed  absorbed  in  the  glory  of  God — the 
chamber  luminous  with  his  presence,  the  universe 
glorious  for  his  sake,  while  alleluias  kept  me  de- 
lightfully awake  until  morning ! 

The  luminous  appearance  of  the  chamber  and  of 
the  bed  where  I  lay,  continued  from  the  sight  of  dis- 
tant objects,  which  the  darkness  of  a  cloudy  No- 
vember night  (1812)  would  have  rendered  invisible 
had  there  been  no  intervening  drapery  to  deepen  it, 
I  have  purposely  mentioned,  and  now  proceed  to  ex- 
plain. A  sober  philosophy,  as  I  then  thought,  and 
now  know,  can  perfectly  resolve  it.  The  state  of 
one's  mind,  in  proportion  to  the  intensity  of  its  affec- 
tions, as  melancholy  or  mirthful,  as  vigorous  or  lan- 
guid, as  imaginative  or  plodding,  imparts  its  own 
character  to  surrounding  objects  ;  and  often  indu- 
ces the  sensation  that  the  character  is  in  the  objects, 
and  not  in  the  mind.  Nearly  the  same  sentiment 
is  more  scientifically  given  by  that  great  father  of 
sound  reasoning.  Lord  Bacon  :  "  Omnes  percep- 


30 


tiones,  tarn  sensus  quam  mentis,  sint  ex  analogia 
hominis,  non  ex  analogia  universi  ;  atque  intellectus 
humanus  instar  speculi  incequalis  ad  radios  rerumj 
qui  suam  naturam  natures  rerum  immiscet,  eanfique 
distorquet  et  injicit.^^  A  little  obstinate  rationality, 
as  Dr.  Johnson  calls  it,  kept  me  then  and  since 
from  the  profound  or  the  sublime  of  rehgious  en- 
thusiasm. Had  I  yielded  to  feeling,  to  imagination, 
and  seeming  revelation,  at  a  time  when  the  genuine 
influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  (as  I  believe)  had 
made  me  happy  in  him,  and  thrilled  my  soul  with 
holy  ravishment,  I  might  have  been  a  devout  mad- 
man, inspired,  or  any  thing  else,  in  my  own  esteem. 
But  the  balance  of  my  mind  was  restored  by  reflec- 
tion. "  The  truth  and  soberness  "  of  Christianity 
induced  that  reflection,  and  made  me  know  that  I 
ought  to  exercise  my  understanding,  and  "try  the 
spirits "  in  every  direction,  before  I  trusted  them. 
The  case  of  Col.  Gardner®  I  had  previously  heard  or 
read,  and  it  then  recurred  to  me.  Were  it  not, 
thought  I,  that  I  happen  to  know  better,  I  could  see 
and  tell  of  prodigies,  of  angelic  apparition  and  mi- 
raculous glory,  as  well  as  others  ;  and  now  it  seems 
clear  to  me  how  the  excellent  Gardiner  was  de- 
ceived, and  how  thousands  of  religious  enthusiasts 
first  come  by  their  commission.  I  ascribe  it,  under 
God,  to  the  power  of  his  written  truth  alone,  that  I 
became  not  then  a  disciple  of  moonshine  and  ex- 
travagance. The  wonder  is  the  greater,  that  I  was 
by  education  predisposed  to  it.  The  spring  of  the 
affections,  or  zeal  in  religion,  however  genuine,  re- 
quires the  balance-wheel  of  sound  scriptural  in- 


31 


structiou  to  regulate  its  movements  and  secure  its 
utility.  Much  am  I  indebted,  whom  nature  made  so 
ardent,  and  education  so  moulded  to  enthusiasm, 
much  do  I  owe  to  the  sober  voice  of  scripture,  for 
all  the  steadiness  of  faith,  the  sobriety  of  character, 
and  the  uniformity  of  action,  which  I  have  been 
enabled  in  some  degree  (yet  imperfectly)  to  exem- 
plify. "  Having  therefore  obtained  help  of  God,  I 
continue  unto  this  day,  witnessing  both  to  small  and 
great,  saying  none  other  things  than  those  which 
the  prophets  and  Moses  did  say  should  come."  Acts, 
26:  22.  My  soul  has  often  leaped  for  joy  and 
thankfulness  that  the  Great  Shepherd  hath  so  led 
and  kept  me ! — So  will  he  keep  for  ever  all  who 
truly  trust  hi3i. 

I  would  not  here  imply  that  sobriety  and  mode- 
ration were  the  early  characteristics  of  my  religion. 
I  was  impetuous  ;  decisive ;  perfectly  assured ;  ex- 
tatically  happy  in  God ;  resolved  to  confess  Jesus 
Christ  any  where  ;  anxious  to  show  others  the  way 
to  blessedness  ;  totally  inexperienced  ;  and  not 
properly  impressed  with  the  necessity  of  expe.ri- 
ence  in  order  to  usefulness  ;  supposing  I  should  al- 
ways "  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light,"  and 
anticipating  no  reverses ;  ignorant  of  the  wanton 
enmity  of  men  actually  cherished  against  the  gos- 
pel ;  and  often  inconsiderate  in  the  way,  place,  time, 
and  style,  of  addressing  them  on  the  matters  of  re- 
ligion. In  principles,  however,  I  have  always  been 
substantially  the  same :  nor  do  I  know  that,  since 
the  period  of  spiritual  nativity,  I  have  ever  had 
one  deep  deliberate  doubt  of  the  truth  and  excel- 


32 


lence  of  Christianity,  or  of  the  general  meaning  of 
the  scriptures.  Reverses  however  I  did  experience 
— just  as  extreme,  pungent  and  complete,  as  the 
joys  that  preceded  them  were  high !  My  hope  left  me 
after  a  few  weeks,  my  joys  all  dried  away,  and  the 
deepest  melancholy  of  darkness  that  could  be  felt 
embowered  me.  I  felt  that  I  had  been  deluded, 
hypocritical,  wild  in  my  rejoicings  ; — not  that  I 
doubted  religion ;  I  doubted  only  myself!  Thus  ex- 
tremes and  opposites  succeeded,  till  "  tribulation 
wrought  patience ;  and  patience,  experience ;  and 
experience,  hope  ;"  and  thus  "  the  God  of  all  grace, 
who  hath  called  us  unto  his  eternal  glory  by  Christ 
Jesus,"  is  wont  to  accomplish  his  people  ;  "  estab- 
lish, strengthen,  settle  them ;  to  him  be  glory  and  do- 
minion for  ever  and  ever.  Amen."  1  Pet.  5 :  10, 11. 
I  have  since  compared  my  feelings  in  religion  to  the 
vibrations  of  the  pendulum  of  an  open  clock,  whose 
first  movements,  when  energetically  started,  incline 
almost  to  Cover  one  hundred  and  eighty  degrees  of 
the  circle  ;  but,  gradually  subsiding  from  extremes, 
and  losing  the  momentum  of  extravagance,  every 
movement  becomes  more  regular;  the  deep  central 
attraction  influences  more  ;  its  motions  are  more  or- 
derly and  useful ;  and  at  last  it  assumes  that  state 
of  punctual  and  measured  gravity  which  it  keeps  to 
the  end  of  its  "  appointed  time ; "  and  without  which, 
however  costly  its  material,  or  polished  its  exterior, 
or  comely  its  proportions,  it  would  be  of  no  utility. 
That  I  have  gained  the  point  of  perfect  regularity,  I 
am  very  far  from  asserting ;  but  that  I  have  held 
my  way,  in  the  main,  progressive,  I  do  believe,  just 


33. 


as  really  as  I  know  that  I  am  still  imperfect  and 
have  much  to  learn. 

One  characteristic  of  niy  early  and  subsequent  re- 
ligion, was  derived  from  its  connection  historically 
with  the  tenets  of  Friends.  I  read  the  Bible, 
meditated,  prayed,  conversed,  and  agonized  sponta- 
neously for  their  salvation.  Thousands  of  times,  in 
thought,  did  I  find  myself  in  one  of  their  meetings, 
with  the  Bible  open  in  my  hand,  "  expounding  and 
testifying  the  kingdom  of  God,  persuading  them 
concerning  Jesus,  both  out  of  the  law  of  Moses 
and  of  the  prophets,  from  morning  till  evening."  / 
did  not  intend  to  leave  the  society,  if  I  could  with 
peace  of  conscience  continue  in  it ;  though  I  did  in- 
tend, by  the  grace  of  God,  to  follow  "  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  he  goeth."  I  accordingly  put  my- 
self in  the  way  of  conversing  with  the  most  eminent 
Friends  in  New-York  and  its  vicinity,  from  whom  I 
received  no  satisfaction  ;  and  then  began,  more  than 
ever,  to  suspect  that  the  truth  was  not  in  them. 

Some  Friends  in  this  city  advised  that  I  should 
visit  their  great  oracle  on  Long-Island  for  the  reso- 
lutionof  my  difficulties,  and  offered  to  accompany 
me.  I  accepted  the  proposal,  and  went  in  the  sea- 
son of  snow  a  journey  of  (I  suppose)  near  thirty 
miles.  We  arrived  when  he  was  preaching  in  a 
Friends'  meeting-house :  as  he  had  just  begun,  how- 
ever, we  heard  almost  all  of  it.  It  was  a  declama- 
tory deistical  piece  of  prosing  against  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  body,  the  error  that  sin  is  an  infinite  evil, 
and  the  abomination  of  the  "  divines,  as  they  call 
themselves,"  whom  he  charged  with  teaching  all 

5 


34 


these  fooleries.    He  inveighed  against  the  doctrine 
of  atonement  in  the  coarsest  style,  in  connection 
with  his  thesis  that  sin  is  no  such  evil  as  they  say  ! 
Among  other  things  that  ehcited  his  oracular  wrath, 
as  I  well  remember,  was  this :  some  of  the  wicked, 
carnal  young  Friends  had  come  to  meeting  that 
morning  with  bells  by  twenties  on  the  gears  of  their 
sleigh-horses ;  these  were  tethered  to  the  trees  in  the 
immediate  grounds  of  the  meeting-house,  yet  not 
so  near  as  to  interrupt  the  speaker,  though  their 
sounds  were  audible  through  the  closed  apartments. 
But  the  preacher  took  a  holy  umbrage  at  the  distant 
clatter  of  the  bells.    Music  of  all  kinds  appeared  to 
be  his  aversion  f  and  he  indulged  in  a  terrible  epi- 
sode against  the  frequent  noises  of  the  bells,  which 
he  said  were  put  there  only  for  pride,  and  to  do  as 
others  did;  they  were,  he  said,  wholly  from  be- 
neath; for,  he  had  no  doubt,  it  was  the  spirit  of 
the  wicked  One  himself  that  prompted  the  dear 
young  Friends  to  such  a  departure  from  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  society!  If  the  matter  of  putting  on 
the  bells,  which  has  been  generally  thought  neces- 
sary to  the  safety  of  passengers,  and  on  that  ac- 
count is  sometimes  required  by  law,  had  been 
an  infinite  evil,  he  could  scarcely  have  denounced 
it  with  more  inspired  zeal  or  devotional  nonsense  ! 
We  may  regard  this  as  an  instance  of  the  stoop- 
ing of  inspiration,  the  very  bathos  of  illumined  and 
genuine  preaching ;  which,  the  privileged  hear- 
ers of  such  prophets  know  very  well,  may  often  be 
witnessed  in  the  communications  of  the  light  within. 
Whether  Friend  Hicks  was  inspired  just  then,  and 


35 


in  what  degree  and  kind  precisely,  are  questions 
which  I  shall  not  venture  to  discuss.  Others  may 
resolve  them.  It  might,  however,  assist  the  grave 
inquirer,  to  settle  another  question  Jirst :  Was  the 
prophet  Zechariah,  in  the  conclusion  of  his  fourteen 
chapters  of  thrilling  developement,  and  when  speak- 
ing of  the  perfection  and  blessedness  of  the  yet 
future  and  near  approacJiing  Millennial  State — 
was  he  inspired  1  He  speaks,  without  stooping  in- 
deed, on  the  very  same  topic,  in  a  very  different 
style,  and  to  a  very  uncongenial  end !  He  seems 
to  think  that  there  was  no  sin,  at  least  intrinsically, 
in  the  hells  of  the  horses !  He  says  they  shall  all  be 
consecrated,  inscribed,  made  subsidiary,  to  the 
glory  of  Jehovah  !  In  that  day  shall  there  be  upon 
the  bells  of  the  horses,  HOLINESS  UNTO  THE 
LORD."    Zech.  14  :  20. 

In  the  afternoon  and  evening  of  that  day,  I 
was  at  his  house,  in  close  and  solemn  conference. 
Many,  say  ten  or  twenty  Friends,  were  present. 
They  sat  with  their  large  hats  on,  all  listening  to  the 
inspiration  of  their  host,  and  exhibiting  an  appear- 
ance of  solemnity  by  which  I  was  well  nigh  over- 
awed— the  instinctive  and  heathenish  awe  of  a 
Quaker !  Aware  of  the  danger,  I  was  resolved  to 
resist  the  evil  ;  which  I  did  to  the  astounding  of  the 
company,  by  venturing,  at  the  pause  of  a  paragraph, 
respectfully  to  ask  some  questions.  These  he  al- 
ways attempted  promptly  to  answer ;  and  always  to 
my  astonishment  aiid  grief.  Our  main  topic  was 
the  death  of  Christ.  He  asserted  most  boldly  that 
Christ  made  no  atonement  for  our  sins  on  the  cross  ; 


36 


that  God  required  none  but  what  the  tears  of  the 
penitent  could  make ;  that  he  died  to  show  us  how  to 
crucify  our  sinful  propensities  on  the  cross  of  our 
faith: — this  queer  piece  of  heretical  mysticism  is, 
I  think,  verbally,  much  the  same  as  his  position,  so 
far  as  I  can  recollect  its  terms.  Other  views  were  all 
in  keeping  with  these  ;  and  when  I  produced  a  host 
of  quotations  of  scripture,  right  in  the  teeth  of  his 
assertions,  he  grew  warm,  degraded  the  Book  of  God, 
and  made  up  for  the  want  of  argument  by  resorting 
to  sonorous  prophecy.  This  is  one  of  their  very 
common  and  very  wicked  arts  of  evasion.  When 
cornered  with  an  argument  or  crippled  with  a  text, 
they  usually  (their  preachers,  I  mean)  become  sud- 
denly inspired ;  and  exalting  their  testimony  above 
all  height,  put  down  all  carnal  doubts,  all  naughty 
caviling,  all  daring  liberty  of  thought,  in  a  summary 
way.  This,  though  the  details  were  worse,  was 
the  general  sum  of  our  interview ;  and  I  returned 
as  I  went,  only  more  disgusted  with  Quakerism  than 
ever.  Still,  I  loved  the  man,  and  resolved  to  think 
the  best  of  him.  Sometimes  I  thought,  he  is  cer- 
tainly an  awful  deceiver,  an  emissary  of  the  pit ; 
and  then  tried  to  believe,  so  recent  and  infirm  were 
my  doctrinal  impressions,  that  his  ignorance  and 
education  might  properly  reconcile  the  idea  of  his 
errors  with  the  possibility  of  his  piety.^°  My  com- 
panion, too,  said  all  he  could  in  his  favor ;  but  not 
enough  to  inspire  me  with  any  confidence  in  such  a 
guide  of  souls. 

Thus  to  write  of  that  journey,  and  of  those  who 
entertained  me  at  its  end,  seems,  I  acknowledge, 


37 


like  ingratitude :  for  I  was  received  and  treated 
every  where  with  the  kindest  hospitality,  attention, 
and  fulness.    Could  these  things  have  compensa- 
ted for  the  want  of  greater  and  better,  I  had  been 
converted  by  their  generous  behavior  much  sooner 
than  their  arguments.    This  is  one  of  the  worst 
things  about  them!    They  lack  the  evidences  of 
vital  and  genuine  religion ;  but  have  so  many  other 
things  resembling  its  secondary  and  subordinate  at- 
tendants, that  they  feel  safe,  and  wish  others  to  think 
them  so,  on  account  of  these  other  things.  Now,  lam 
far  enough  from  censuring  their  hospitable  and  gene- 
rous mode  of  entertaining  strangers,  and  should  not 
blame  them  if  they  were  even  more  given  to  this  no- 
ble conduct  than  many  of  them  are :  but,  what  I  aver 
is,  that  it  is  worse  than  boorishness  and  inclemency 
when  it  takes  the  place  and  becomes  the  imposing  sub- 
stitute of  the  religion  of  the  Bible !    It  blinds  the 
eyes  of  host  and  guest ;  while  spectators  at  a  dis- 
tance "judge  according  to  the  appearance"  and 
forget  "  righteous  judgment."    Hospitality,  how- 
ever, is  only  one  of  their  sectarian  virtues  ;  there  is 
a  whole  system  of  influence,  exactly  of  the  same 
sort,  that  diffuses  itself  through  all  the  relations  of 
society,  and  deceives  every  man  who  does  not  truly 
take  the  Bible  as  his  oracle.    I  was,  therefore,  not 
insensible  to  their  kindness,  nor  ungrateful  for  it ; 
and  what  is  much  more,  I  was  not  deceived  by  it. 
Compare  their  courtesy  and  claims  with  the  inspired 
mottos  of  the  title-page  of  tlys  volume  !  A  maturer 
observation  has  confirmed  my  opinion  of  the  general 
emptiness  of  their  christian  pretensions.    Many  of 


38 


them,  especially  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  possess 
the  social  qualities  comparatively  in  polish  and  per- 
fection. "Their  families,  some  of  their  schools,  and 
public  institutions,  are  ordinarily  well  regulated. 
They  have  public  spirit,  fine  manners,  and  good  in- 
formation. They  live  upon  a  noble  and  generous 
scale  of  things ;  and  are  evidently  in  the  career  of 
social  and  intellectual  improvement.  In  many  re- 
spects are  they  excellent  and  valuable  members  of 
society ;  and  in  many  meUorated  and  altered  from 
primitive  Friends.  They  have  refinement,  ele- 
gance, and  worldly  respectability  !  In  all  these  mat- 
ters I  would  delight  to  do  them  justice,  as  I  sin- 
cerely respect  and  even  love  many  of  them ;  while 
I  wish  nothing  worse  than  salvation  to  one  of  them. 
This  they  may  little  appreciate,  if  they  read  these 
lines.  I  however  record  it,  because  it  is  the  truth, 
and  because  others  will  appreciate  it.  I  know  them 
too  well  to  expect  the  holy  magnanimity  that  loves 
truth  even  when  it  condemns  us  ;  and  when  I  re- 
flect on  the  nature  of  unbelief  and  of  Christianity, 
of  worldly  greatness  and  eternal  glory,  of  the  sanc- 
tions of  God  and  the  presumptions  of  men,  their 
graceless  excellencies  appear  only  the  worse,  because 
they  usurp  the  place  that  religion  claims ;  they  ap- 
pear like  Anti-Christ  in  the  temple  of  God,  splendid 
and  saintly  in  his  professions,  so  that  "  the  world 
wonders  after  the  beast,"  but  false  and  hollow  in 
principles,  because  an  evident  enemy  to  the  cross  of 
Christ,  in  which  alone  the  apostle  gloried ;  and  the 
worse  an  enemy,  because  surrounded  with  all  the 
show  that  indicates  a  friend. 


39 


On  my  return  I  was  summoned,  both  by  my 
anxious  mother  and  by  the  heads  of  the  Pine-street 
meeting,  to  which  I  belonged,  to  Philadelphia.  I 
complied ;  and  while  there,  (about  two  weeks,)  lost 
no  opportunity,  as  I  thought  it  proper,  and  as  my 
honored  mother  required  of  me,  to  attend  all  their 
meetings,  and  to  have  frequent  interviews  with  theii- 
chief  men,  and  to  put  myself  sincerely  in  the  way 
of  receiving  any  explanation  which  might,  if  pos- 
sible, reconcile  it  to  my  conscience  to  continue  my 
birth-right  membership.  The  uniform  result  of  such 
occasions,  when  calmly  compared  with  the  doctrine 
of  the  Bible,  was  a  deeper  conviction  of  the  funda- 
mental errors  of  the  society,  and  that  it  was  my 
duty  "  to  go  forth  unto  Christ  without  the  camp, 
bearing  his  reproach :  for  here  have  we  no  conti- 
nuing city,  but  we  seek  one  to  come."  Heb.  13  : 13, 
14.  Without  more  detail,  I  will  state  the  substance 
of  an  interview  which  I  had  with  a  committee  of 
the  meeting  appointed  finally  to  treat  with  me. 
They  were  five  or  six  in  number,  though  at  present 
I  distinctly  recollect  but  three  of  them.  These  were 
two  brothers,  A.  and  B.  and  a  third  one,  say  C. 
After  sitting  through  a  long  pause,  which,  as  they 
accounted  it  worship,  I  was  unwilling  to  disturb,  I 
thought  their  embarrassment  was  manifest,  and 
hence  that  it  was  my  duty  to  break  the  silence. 
If,  said  I,  we  are  all  the  servants  of  the  same 
God,  and  the  disciples  of  the  same  Lord,  we  need 
not  be  afraid  of  each  other.  I  wish  you,  if  you 
please,  to  commence  business,  as  time  is  precious, 
and  I  am  prepared.    I  regard  you  as  the  heads  of 


40 


the  meeting  to  which  I  appertain,  and  hope  you  are 
Friends  not  only  to  each  other,  but  to  God  and  his 
servants.  If  you  can  answer  my  sincere  scruples 
against  your  whole  system,  I  will  state  them,  and 
rejoice  in  their  dissipation. 

A.  We  did  not  come  here  to  engage  in  controversy. 

Neither  did  I,  having  no  fondness  for  it,  I  assure 
you.  But  do  you  not  "  watch  for  souls  as  they  that 
must  give  account  V  and  ought  you  not,  when  a 
member  deviates,  as  I  appear  to  you  to  have  done, 
to  try  to  convince  and  restore  him  \ 

Here  some  allusion  was  made  to  a  letter  which  I 
had  written,  acknowledging  theirs,  informing  them 
of  my  intended  compliance  with  their  request  to  see 
them,  and  describing  my  visit  on  Long-Island,  with 
the  doctrine  I  had  there  heard  and  condemned.  I 
found  that  the  letter  had  affected  them  unhappily  : 
as  I  kept  no  copy,  I  do  not  remember  its  expres- 
sions ;  while  I  doubt  not  that  its  style  was  energetic 
and  peculiar,  I  can  only  vouch  for  its  general  cor- 
rectness. I  had  also  felt  some  of  the  bitter  fruits  of 
that  letter  before  my  interview  with  the  committe. 
Being  in  meeting  one  week-day,  just  as  they  were 
about  to  pass  from  worship  to  "  business,"  I  chose 
to  remain.  No  one,  indeed,  but  a  member,  had  a 
right  to  do  this ;  but  I  was  a  member,  and  was  con- 
scious of  no  bad  motives  or  offence  in  remaining. 
Here  one  of  their  preachers — what  is  he  now? — 
who  was  of  the  first  in  that  meeting,  rose  suddenly 
and  beckoned  me  to  arise  and  follow  him.  I  com- 
plied. As  soon  as  we  had  passed  the  door  he  thus 
accosted  me :  "I  think  it  improper  that  thou,  who 


41 


hast  so  *  vilified  '  one  of  our  noblest  preachers  in 
thy  letter  to  the  committee,  shouldst  remain  as  a 
member  of  the  meeting."  I  replied,  "  Am  I  not  a 
member?  Did  I  transgress  any  law  I  or  has  any  one 
member  a  right  thus  to  expel  another  without  law, 
trial,  or  ceremony  1"  He,  however,  was  inspired  and 
inexorable.  I  thought  it  useless  to  return  and  state 
the  matter  to  the  meeting,  though  I  felt  that  it  was 
usurpation  and  oppression.    1  just  bowed  and  left 
the  imperious  zealot.    At  that  time  he  was  very 
high,  inspired,  and  rising  as  a  preacher, — a  man  of 
singular  audacity,  and,  I  fear,  of  wretched  princi- 
ples, as  he  has  lately  been  convicted,  by  the  society 
themselves,  of  some  real  or  alleged  iniquity,  for 
which  they  have  degraded  and  "  disowned  "  him.  I 
know  of  other  oracles  that  once  were  like  the  urim 
and  thummim  of  old,  and  whom,  when  I  doubted 
audibly  to  my  relatives,  it  was  next  to  impiety  and 
treason  !  But  now  where  are  they  X  God  forbid  that 
I  should  glory  over  them,  as  I  do  not !    But  let 
Friends  consider  !  The  stars  of  their  heaven  have 
been  shaken  ;  their  brightest  luminaries  have  fallen ! 
Any  one  who  can  recollect  the  preachers  of  Phila- 
delphia and  its  general  vicinity  for  thirty  years, 
ought  to  review  the  foundations  of  his  faith  in  their 
holiness  and  inspiration !  I  recollect  and  could  re- 
hearse a  multitude  of  facts  and  names  that  speak 
terribly  in  this  relation !  But  I  forbear.  Friends 
there  know  what  I  mean ! 

When  I  saw,  in  the  committee,  the  effect  of  the 
letter  I  had  written,  I  commenced  an  explanation. 
This  was  not  well  received,  for  it  was  probably  too 


42 


convincing.  At  last  said  C.  very  abruptly,  "  Samuel, 
dost  thou  believe  the  doctrine  of  predestination  1" 
I  regretted  the  question  ;  for  sure  J  was  that  neither 
did  they  understand  the  subject,  nor  could  I  satis- 
factorily explain  it  to  them.  Still,  as  it  was  a  plain 
question  of  fact,  I  replied,  "  I  do."  "  What !"  he 
rejoined,  "  that  horrible  doctrine  !  I  am  astonished  ! 
I  w^ould  know  why  thee  believes  it !"  I  replied,  "  Be- 
cause I  believe  the  Bible  ;  and  because  that  book 
very  clearly  reveals  it."  I  here  referred  to  Ephe- 
sians,  chap.  1,  and  some  other  places.  It  appeared 
evident  from  his  air  that  he  did  not  anticipate  the 
hardihood  of  so  full  an  answer  ;  and  I  thought  that 
he  asked  the  question  as  if  to  awe  me  into  a  denial 
of  what  he  was  pleased  to  predestinate  to  condem- 
nation. Here  the  whole  circle  sat  mute,  till  I  turn- 
ed to  B.  whom  I  most  respected  of  the  company,  a 
man  seemingly  of  more  honesty,  intelhgence  and 
worth,  than  I  commonly  found  among  them,  in  argu- 
ment about  religion.  "  Hast  thou,  friend  B.  never 
seen,"  said  I,  turning  to  him  and  using  '  the  plain 
language,'  as  I  did,  respectfully  to  all  of  them  at 
that  time,  *'  hast  thou  never  read  that  doctrine  in 
Paul's  Epistles,  as  well  as  elsewhere  throughout  the 
Bible  He  seemed  troubled  ;  but  at  last  replied, 
"  I  certainly  have  seen  there  what  looked  very  much 
like  it  indeed !"  said  I,  "  And  why  then  didst  thou 
not  believe  it?"  said  he,  "  As  I  never  can  undei-stand 
it,  I  always  turn  over  the  leaf.""  I  answered,  "  If 
one  cannot  at  all  understand  it,  why  does  it  seem  to 
chafe  you  so  1  If  we  may  turn  over  the  leaf  of  an 
inspired  book  that  was  written  on  purpose  to  in- 


43 


struct  us  in  those  things  which  God  judges  proper 
for  us  to  know,  and  has  therefore  fully  revealed, 
whenever  we  happen  to  dislike  a  passage,  others 
may  do  the  same ;  and  so  the  whole  Bible  will  be 
thrown  away  !  I  think  this  is  a  solemn  and  criminal 
slight  put  upon  the  Author  of  the  Bible  ;  and  I,  for 
one,  should  be  afraid  to  do  it.  To  me  it  seems  mo- 
desty and  piety  both,  to  learn  all  that  he  condescends 
to  teach,  to  trust  where  we  possibly  may  be  unable 
to  solve,  and  at  all  events  not  to  omit  any  part  of 
his  communicated  wisdom,  lest  we  should  find  our 
names  omitted  from  'the  Book  of  Life,'  in  the  last 
day :  for  he  says.  He  that  loveth  me  not,  keepeth  not 
my  sayings.'''' 

I  did  indeed  the  more  infer  and  feel  that  they 
were  ignorant  almost  of  "  the  first  principles  of  the 
doctrine  of  Christ ;  unstable  as  water,  that  could  not 
excel ;  children,  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about 
by  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men  and 
cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  de- 
ceive !"  I  felt  too  the  horrible  vanity  of  their  vesti- 
mental  signals  of  holiness;  hence  I  pitied  them 
with  a  bleeding  heart,  but  felt  divorced  from  their 
communion,  and  edified  in  utter  detestation  of  their 
dreamy  tenets.  I  shook  their  hands  at  parting,  ex- 
pressed my  soul's  wishes  for  their  welfare,  bade 
them  farewell,  and  abjured  them  for  ever.  I  went 
home  to  my  mother's,  happy  and  trusting  in  God, 
but  more  than  ever  penetrated  with  a  sense  that 
Quakerism  was  a  hollow  arid  shell,  in  which  neither 
truth  nor  grace  resided,  and  which  should  yet  be 
dashed  and  pulverized  by  the  "  iron  rod  "  of  the 


44 


despised  Messiah  !  "  As  the  vessels  of  a  potter  shall 
they  be  broken  to  shivers !"  Rev.  2  :  27.  My  soul 
was  now  in  that  frame  which  is  expressed  in  the 
sober  and  excellent  words  of  the  124th  Psalm.  I  saw 
the  way  of  duty  clear,  and  was  calmly  happy  to 
walk  in  it.  The  storm  was  over,  the  agony  gone  ! 
I  felt  it  sweet  and  easy  to  leave  all  things  for  Christ, 
and  thought  my  crosses,  crowns  ;  my  losses,  gains  ; 
my  privations,  privileges ! 

If  on  my  cheek,  for  thy  dear  name, 
Shame  and  reproaches  be, 
All  hail  reproach,  and  welcome  shame, 
So  thou  remember  me  ! 

That  evening,  I  think,  or  shortly  after,  my  dear, 
tender,  and  most  afflicted  mother,  seeing  that  all  the 
means  and  opportunities  prescribed  for  my  re-con- 
version only  confirmed  me,  when  I  meditated  and 
read  the  Bible,  in  a  sense  of  duty  to  profess  Jesus 
Christ  in  one  of  his  own  churches,  now  grew  incon- 
solable ;  and,  in  a  transport  of  grief,  solemnly  com- 
manded  me,  in  the  name  of  God,  who  has  required 
"  obedience  to  parents  "  in  his  own  word,  to  yield 
my  purpose  and  continue  a  member  of  the  Society  ! 
It  was  an  awful  and  severe  crisis !  I  felt  its  bitter- 
ness, and  sympathised  with  her,  whose  strong  and 
dear  affection  deserved  for  her  all  that  a  parent  could 
deserve  of  a  child  !  My  sisters  and  brothers  (I  think 
all)  were  present.  I  paused,  and  then,  with  entire 
decision,  answered  :  "  We  ought  to  obey  God  ra- 
ther than  man.  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of 
God,  to  hearken  unto  you  more  than  unto  God, 
judge  ye.    Jf  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his 


45 


father,  mid  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and 
brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he 
cannot  he  my  disciple.  And  every  one  that  hath  for- 
saken houses,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  fatJier,  or 
mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  name's 
sake,  shall  receive  an  hundredfold,  and  shall  inherit 
everlasting  life.  No  man  having  put  his  hand  to 
the  plough,  and  looking  back,  is  ft  for  the  kingdom 
of  God.  (Acts,  4  :  19.  5  :  29.  Luke,  14  :  26. 
9  :  62.  Matt.  19  :  29.  Mark,  10  :  29,  30.)  lintend 
to  take  stage  to-morrow  morning,  before  day,  and 
return  to  Newark,  where  I  expect  soon  to  be  baptized 
as  a  christian  confessor,  and  ^>«r^a^e  at  the  com- 
munion-table with  them  that  believe  and  know  the 
Iruthr  1  Tim.  4  :  3.  This  purpose  I  was  enabled 
to  execute ;  and  accordingly,  on  the  seventh  day 
of  March,  (Lord's  day,)  1813,  in  the  second"  pres- 
byterian  church,  Newark,  N.  Jersey,  I  professed  my 
faith  in  Christ,  was  baptized,  and  did  "  eat  of  that 
bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup,"  which  symbolizes  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  "  who  died  for 
us  and  rose  again,"  according  to  his  own  blessed 
commandment,  "  This  do,  in  remembrance  of  me." 
I  was  then  in  the  twentieth  year  of  my  age.  No 
one  whom  experience  hath  not  taught,  can  well  ima- 
gine what  a  struggle,  and  what  a  triumph  it  is,  for 
an  educated  Friend  to  come  to  this  !  Instances  of 
the  sort  are  about  as  rare  in  this  country  as  conver- 
sions from  the  Jews  ;  and,  while  almost  equally  dif- 
ficult and  desirable,  they  are  much  less  appreciated 
by  Christians.  I  did  it,  however,  in  the  hardihood 
of  principle ;  conviction  of  the  truth,  and  faith  in 


46 

God,  elevated  my  soul  above  all  considerations  be- 
sides them :  and  while  I  thank  God,  in  Christ 
Jesus,  as  "  the  author  and  finisher  of  my  faith, 
through  whom,  strengthening  me,  I  can  do  all 
things,"  I  record  it  here  to  his  glory  and  my  own 
ineffable  joy,  that  I  have  never,  for  one  moment,  re- 
gretted that  decisive  initial  measure !  and  would  no 
more  go  hack  to  Friends,  than  I  would  resign  my 
hope  and  joy  in  Christ  Jesus  ! 

Shortly  after  this  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
God  had  called  me  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  I 
pass  over  the  details  of  self-examination,  and  trials 
in  this  relation,  through  which  I  was  enabled  to  pass, 
by  the  help  of  God  speaking  to  me  in  his  word,  and 
comforting  my  soul  at  the  throne  of  grace.  I  was 
licensed  by  the  presbytery  of  New- York,  in  the 
month  of  October,  1816,  to  preach  the  gospel ;  and 
ordained  to  that  office  by  the  presbytery  of  Jersey, 
at  Mendham,  July  1,  1817.  "  Then  Samuel  took 
a  stone,  and  set  it  between  Mispeh  and  Shen,  and 
called  the  name  of  it  Eben-ezer,  saying.  Hitherto 
hath  the  Lord  helped  us."  1  Sam.  7  :  12.  Having 
ever  since  felt  that  God  hath  invested  me  with  an 
office  of  magnitude,  and  a  commission  of  responsi- 
bility, I  have  equally  felt  that,  as  a  minister  of  Jesus, 
I  was  bound  to  perform  a  service  of  point  and 
plainness  to  Friends ;  that  as  I  could  have  no  per- 
sonal access  to  their  meetings,  and  as  private  con- 
ferences had  often  proved  unavailing,  having,  from 
experience,  very  little  hope  in  talking  with  a  Friend, 
as  it  is  mostly  impossible  to  convince  him,  and  having, 
therefore,  for  a  long  time,  almost  totally  disconti- 


47 


nued  it;  and  convinced  also,  that  any  written  trea- 
tise that  should  honestly  attack  the  fundamental 
errors  of  their  creed  would  be,  of  course,  denounced 
by  the  Society,  come  from  whom  it  might,  and  be- 
ing written  with  whatever  care  and  calmness,  I  felt 
that  there  vv^as  no  alternative.  Hence  the  present 
volume,  in  which  my  purpose  is  "  nothing  to  exte- 
nuate, nor  set  down  aught  in  malice  ;"  to  fear  God 
only,  and  leave  consequences  with  him.  "  Yea,  and 
if  I  be  offered  upon  the  sacrifice  and  service  of  your 
faith,  I  joy  and  rejoice  with  you  all  !"  I  have,  at 
different  times,  received  letters  from  divers  Friends, 
preachers  and  others  ;  some  commanding  me  to  re- 
pent and  return  to  the  inward  light ;  others  arguing 
the  matter,  informing  me  that  I  know  I  am  doing 
wrong,  remonstrating,  warning,  prophesying,  testi- 
fying ;  and  all  inspired.  Some  of  them  are  docu- 
ments of  heresy  worthy  of  exposure  ;  and  I  have 
them  all  filed  and  at  hand,  whenever  it  may  be  ne- 
cessary to  publish  them,  when  I  can  do  it  with 
names  and  dates  entire,  and  suitable  notes  and 
illustrations.  Some  of  them  I  have  answered,  and 
others,  full  of  rampant  infidelity  and  something 
worse,  I  have  just  filed  in  silence.  Some  have  ut- 
tered divers  predictions  concerning  me,  with  speci- 
fications of  time,  which  I  have  already  lived  to 
confound.  Some  of  their  prophecyings  used  at  first 
instinctively  to  frighten  me ;  but,  in  the  end,  I  was 
only  strengthened  by  them,  when  I  saw  the  time 
arrived  in  which  they  were  at  once  due  and  disho- 
nored. When  a  prophet  speaketh  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  if  the  thing  follow  not,  nor  come  to  pass, 


48 


that  is  the  thing  which  the  Lord  hath  not  spoken, 
but  the  prophet  hath  spoken  it  presumptuously  ; 
thou  shah  not  be  afraid  of  him."  Deut.  18  :  22.  If 
there  were  no  eternity,  no  heaven,  no  hell,  no  Sa- 
vior, and  no  duty  to  perform,  I  would  let  them 
alone. 

With  respect  to  the  style  of  this  treatise,  it  is, 
perhaps,  full  of  peculiarities,  and  those  who  know 
the  writer  will  find  them  all  his  own.  He  is  con- 
scious also  of  their  blemishes  and  faults.  All  he  asks 
of  the  critic  is  to  consider  that  the  profession,  on 
the  score  of  taste,  is  quite  as  humble  as  the  per- 
formance. A  man  should  be  himself  at  all  times : 
peculiarities,  eccentricities,  and  even  inaccuracies, 
are  more  tolerable  than  mimicry,  affectation,  and 
false  consequence  ;  while,  in  respect  to  conscience, 
one  ought  to  remember  that  his  appetite  or  organs 
are  diseased  who  cannot  tolerate  even  the  truth  of 
the  everlasting  gospel,  unless  modernized,  decorated 
with  the  beauties  of  artificial  rhetoric,  and  spiced  to 
the  relish  of  a  sickly  taste.  Such  a  reader  desires 
not  to  know  the  truth,  but  to  get  rid  of  it ;  and  this 
he  covertly  attempts  under  a  demand  for  style. 
There  is  much  of  this  silly  and  wicked  capricious- 
ness  in  the  world.  Its  votaries,  one  would  think, 
must  perfectly  nauseate  the  Bible !  and  retreat  po- 
litely for  respite  in  fresco  to  the  profanely  bewitch- 
ing genius  of  Byron,  or  the  brilliant  romancing  of 
Scott.  I  would  rather  be  denounced  by  critics  and 
Friends  in  league,  than  defer  to  this  graceless  ap- 
petite one  single  hair. 

"  The  preacher  sought,"  however,  "  to  find  out 


49 


acceptable  words;"  and  if  it  be  ultimately  found 
that  "  that  which  was  written  was  upright,  even 
words  of  truth,"  its  faultiness  in  minor  respects  will 
little  disturb  me.  Some,  and  perhaps  not  a  few, 
of  the  peculiarities  of  style  and  sentiment,  how- 
ever, refeuh  from  the  subject  itself,  the  relations  of 
the  writer,  the  manner  he  prefers  to  adopt  as  best 
suited  to  arrest  the  thoughts,  and  the  very  peculiar 
singularities  of  the  people  called  Quakers.  For 
them,  indeed,  the  work  is  intended,  principally,  if 
they  will ;  secondarily,  if  they  choose  ;  and  for 
others  alone,  should  they  universally  refuse.  "  And 
he  said  unto  me,  Son  of  man,  go,  get  thee  unto  the 
house  of  Israel,  and  speak  with  my  words  unto 
them.  But  the  house  of  Israel  will  not  hearken 
unto  thee ;  for  they  will  not  hearken  unto  me  :  for 
all  the  house  of  Israel  are  impudent  and  hard-hearted. 
Behold,  I  have  made  thy  face  strong  against  their 
faces,  and  thy  forehead  strong  against  their  fore- 
heads. As  an  adamant,  harder  than  flint,  have  I 
made  thy  forehead  :  fear  them  not,  neither  be  dis- 
mayed at  their  looks,  though  they  be  a  rebellious 
house.  And  thou  shalt  say  unto  them.  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  God ;  he  that  heareth,  let  him  hear  ;  and 
he  that  forbeareth,  let  him  forbear :  for  they  are  a 
rebellious  house."  Ezek.  3  :  4,  7-9,  27.  Isaiah, 
41  :  15,  16.  Hos.  6  :  5-7. 

One  great  difficulty  which  every  writer  must  feel 
on  this  subject,  is  polemically  to  ascertain  precisely 
what  that  is  which  he  opposes.  That  Quakerism 
is  of  difficult  definition,  has  been  the  charge  of 
christians  against  it  from  the  beginning.  They 

7 


50 


have  no  authentic  creeds  or  symbols  of  faith :  and 
those  who  know  them,  know  that  their  inspiration 
often  differs  from  itself  on  many  points,  according 
to  the  number  of  its  subjects,  multiplied  by  the 
number  of  interviews  had  with  them.  Prove  any 
thing  wrong,  which  one  of  them  has  said ;  prove 
it  to  another  of  them,  and  you  will  probably  hear  the 
convenient  answer:  O  that  is  a  mistake,  it  is  not 
what  Friends  believe.''''  If  you  insist,  "  What  then 
do  they  believe  V  you  will  meet  some  reply  of 
ambiguity,  evasion,  or  obscurity,  which  will  convince 
you  only  of  their  general  ignorance  of  their  own 
tenets,  and  of  the  trust  of  each  to  the  better  inspi- 
ration of  all  the  others.  In  general,  they  are,  as  a 
sect,  marvellously  ignorant  of  what  the  scriptures 
teach.  Their  contradictions  have  been  shown  by 
many  writers.  In  order  to  attain  some  definite  end, 
therefore,  I  have  mainly  taken  Barclay's  Apology ; 
a  book  which  deserves  and  receives,  perhaps,  more 
of  their  common  confidence  than  any  other  of  their 
public  documents  ;  and  have  assumed  it  as  a  stand- 
ard of  what  Quakerism  is,  proving  the  positions 
that  I  oppose,  by  quotations  from  its  pages,  and  va- 
luing it  as  by  far  the  most  respectable  performance 
of  which  the  society  can  boast ;  the  works  of  Penn 
IN  TOTo,  being  postponed  to  it.  In  this,  if  I  have  been 
studious  of  convenience  to  myself,  I  have  been 
equally  favorable  to  them  ;  for,  not  only  in  point 
of  style  and  scholarship,  but  in  approximation 
(though  it  be  but  fitful  and  occasional)  to  protestant 
orthodoxy,  Barclay  holds  a  high,  perhaps  a  solitary, 
pre-eminence.    I  have  read  many'books  and  ser- 


51 


mons  of  Friends,  but  never  one  that  deserved  a  com- 
parison with  the  real  respectability  of  Barclay.  In 
many  things  that  he  says  passingly,  he  speaks  the  un- 
doubted truth  of  God ;  and  in  his  Theses  TheologiccB, 
the  fourteenth  proposition  itself,  "  concerning  the 
power  of  the  civil  magistrate,  in  matters  purely  re- 
ligious, and  pertaining  to  the  conscience,"  is  admi- 
rable, and  worthy  of  the  almost  unqualified  approba- 
tion of  christians.  He  produced  his  Apology  in  his 
comparative  youth,  when  in  his  27th  year,  or,  at  most, 
his  28th,  and  about  nine  years  after  uniting  with  the 
Society,  which  occurred  in  1667.  That  he  was  a  man  of 
unblemished  morals  and  unsullied  fame,  there  lives 
not  one  to  question.  I  sincerely  respect  him ;  and  con- 
sidering his  Roman  Catholic  training,  his  Jesuitical 
education  on  the  continent,  in  connection  with  liis  very 
youth,  when  (in  his  18th  or  19th  year)  the  imposing 
pretensions  of  Quakerism  first  entranced  his  devout 
imagination,  I  rather  pity  than  dislike  .him,  as  I 
have  often  and  deeply  compassionated  thousands, 
whose  noble  minds,  like  lions  taken  in  the  meshes 
of  a  secret  net,  were  entangled,  and  subdued,  and 
prostrated,  by  an  influence  whica  they  could  neither 
define  nor  escape.  Let  it  be  remembered,  then,  that 
I  do  not  intentionally  assail  the  man,  when  I  ex- 
amine and  decry  his  sentiments ;  that  it  really 
grieves  me  to  appear  often  as  if  I  were  opposing 
him ;  and  when  I  use  freely  what  he  hath  himself 
given  to  the  public  and  posterity,  I  only  avail  myself 
of  a  universal  right,  which  any  other  man  may  ex- 
ercise, upon  his  own  responsibility  to  God,  in  ani- 
madversion upon  what  I  have  written.  In  his  pubHc 


52 


character  as  a  religious  teacJier,  and  in  this  alone, 
do  I  denounce  him  and  his  peers.  The  great  fault 
of  Barclay,  as  a  reasoner,  is,  in  my  opinion,  the 
anti-Baconian  style  of  his  reasoning.  Though  that 
illustrious  reformer  of  the  dialectic  art,  died  about 
half  a  century  before  the  Apology  was  written  ;  and 
though  his  immortal  Novum  Organum  had  been  ex- 
tant then  so  many  years,  it  is  most  probable  (slight- 
ed as  it  was  by  many  of  the  visionary  votaries  of  Aris- 
totle's theory-making  logic)  that  Barclay  had  never 
read  it !  I  infer  this  from  the  whole  style  of  his 
reasoning,  which  no  one  will  call  Baconian  who 
knows  how  to  define  the  inductive  philosophy,  and 
has  ever  read  the  Apology  once  through,  with  his 
thoughts  awake.  I  infer  it  from  his  views  and  de- 
nunciations of  logic,  as  an  art  by  which  men  "  may 
learn  twenty  tricks  and  distinctions  how  to  shut  out 
the  truth,"  and  which  only  impedes  that  "  secret 
virtue  and  power  "  which  "  owght  to  be  the  logic  and 
philosophy  wherewith  a  true  christian  minister 
should  be  furnished,  and  for  which  they  need  not 
be  beholden  to  Aristotle.''''  And  I  infer  it  from  the 
fact,  that  he  never  once  mentions  Bacon,  or  alludes 
to  him,  (as  I  can  find,)  in  the  whole  compass  of  his 
nearly  600  octavo  pages.  The  logic  of  Bacon  is  the 
logic  of  the  New  Testament.  Its  priiiciples  are 
opposed  to  those  of  the  Stagyrite,  as  they  are  found- 
ed in  universal  experience,  observation,  and  fact. 
They  coincide  with  all  we  know  ;  they  lead  to  true 
results  ;  they  are  universal  and  impartial ;  they  de- 
light in  evidence  alone  ;  they  aid  the  interests  and 
demonstrate  the  claims  of  Christianity ;  and  they  just 


53 


m  certainly  exalt  the  Bihle  and  explode  Quakerism. 
That  knowledge  is  not  innate  ;  that  inward  light  is 
folly  ;  that  any  man  is  liable  to  err  ;  that  we  must 
make  inferences  from  facts,  which  theory  must  fol- 
low and  not  precede,  in  order  to  the  possession  of 
knowledge ;  that  men  come  into  this  world  without 
ideas,  ignorant  as  brutes,  and  derive  all  they  know 
by  means  of  sensation  and  rejlection ;  that  we  must 
guard  our  premises,  and  make  them  sure,  before  we 
arrive  at  conclusions ;  and  that  one  fact  is  worth  a 
thousand  theories,  and  good  against  a  million  :  these 
are  the  main  principles  of  true  reasoning,  and  the 
foundation  of  the  Baconian  philosophy — a  philoso- 
phy which  is  not  "  falsely  so  called,"  and  the  influ- 
ence of  which  can  be  deprecated  only  by  the  con- 
tracted bigots  of  some  fondled  theory,  begotten  in 
darkness  and  instinctively  trembling  at  the  light.  If 
Barclay  was  disgusted  at  the  philosophy  of  Aris- 
totle, and  denounced  it  from  a  general  conviction  of 
its  inutility,  I  agree  with  him  :  from  his  inference, 
however,  from  that  premise,  that  we  ought  to  throw 
away  all  learned  logic,  I  dissent ;  and  for  the  follow- 
ing reasons : — 1.  It  is  impossible  to  have  none.  Men 
deceive  themselves  when  they  think  that  all  philoso- 
phy is  bad,  and  that  it  is  possible  to  retain  our  senses 
and  forego  the  use  of  all.  All  men  think,  right  or 
wrong  ;  and  they  think  also  according  to  certain 
laws.  To  think  aloof  from  all  the  principles  of  in- 
tellectual philosophy  is  impossible.  The  only  ques- 
tion is — whether  our  philosophy  of  thought  shall  be 
favorable  or  adverse  to  truth  ;  ichether  it  shall  be 
true  or  false  ? — 2.  Barclay  himself  uses  much  of 


54 


the  wit  of  the  schools,  and  is  much  indebted  to  it 
(as  thence  Friends  are  also)  in  his  whole  treatise. 
He  acknowledges,  indeed,  that  he  has  used  natural 
logic,  which  he  commends,  and  at  the  same  time 
contra-distinguishes  from  that  of  the  schools,  which 
he  totally  denounces.  But  is  he  right  in  this  \  Can  any 
man  suppose  that  statural  logic  alone  gave  him  all 
that  dialectic  subtlety  which  he  certainly  evinces, 
and  sometimes  with  success  \  Was  it  natural  or 
scholastic  wit  that  cast  so  many  formal  syllogisms 
in  mood  and  figure,  and  strewed  them  profusely 
over  his  pages  in  such  anticipated  order  1  Method 
is  one  of  the  loftiest  and  most  important  divisions 
of  artificial  logic ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  that  in 
which  natural  logic  fails  most  frequently,  while  it 
is  also  a  division  of  which  Barclay  avails  himself 
with  considerable  address  throughout  his  volume. 
Friends  have  often  boasted  of  him  on  this  very  ac- 
count. He  is  plainly  wrong,  then,  in  scorning  all 
artificial  logic  ;  and  had  he  been  well  acquainted  with 
Bacon's  regenerated  and  most  excellent  system,  I 
cannot  suppose  either  that  he  could  have  denounced 
it,  or  that  he  ever  would  have  written  his  Apology. 
The  whole  system  of  inward  light  much  more  ac- 
cords with  the  fictions  of  Aristotle  than  with  the 
strict  and  sober  principles  of  Bacon :  with  which 
last  indeed  it  cannot  consist  at  all !  What  rational 
evidence  is  there  in  the  decision  of  inward  light  ? 
What  relation  has  that  light  to  evidence  t  No  more 
than  declamation  has  to  argument,  or  assertion  to 
proof. — 3.  Jesus  Christ  evinces  the  power  of  correct 
reasoning  in  all  his  preaching.  The  connection  be- 


55 


twecn  premise  and  conclusion ;  the  necessity  of 
evidence  to  thought,  to  obhgation,  and  moral  ac- 
tion ;  the  power  of  the  dilemma ;  the  admissions  of 
an  opponent ;  the  misery  of  sophism ;  the  force 
of  implication  and  inference  ;  the  ad  hominem 
style  ;  the  reductio  ad  absurdum  ;  the  sorites  ;  and 
almost  every  other  manner  of  argumentation,  is 
frequently  exemplified  in  his  reasonings.  The 
same  is  true  of  all  the  sacred  writers ;  especially 
of  Paul,  who  was,  at  once,  probably,  the  greatest 
reasoner,  and  the  most  useful  man,  that  ever  ap- 
peared as  the  inspired  ambassador  of  Christ.  My 
last  reason  is — 4.  That  nobody  actually  believes  the 
statement,  ( though  some  may  suppose  they  do,)  that 
well  cultivated  scholastic  logic  is  of  no  use  in  religion, 
and  not  a  desirable  and  responsible  gift  of  provi- 
dence. False  learning,  and  the  abuse  of  true,  are 
both  bad  ;  but  surely  this  does  not  impair  the  excel- 
lency and  usefulness  of  true  learning !  A  man's 
spirituality,  just  here,  may  be  wonderfully  influenced 
— unknown  perhaps  to  himself — by  envy  !  He  may 
have  no  learning  ;  he  may  feel  their  superiority 
who  are  not  in  his  predicament ;  he  may  be  unable, 
or  unwilling,  or  without  opportunity  to  study  ;  and 
therefore  he  may  set  himself  to  disparage  what 
he  does  not  possess,  and  would— ^rom  no  good 
motive  possibly — very  gladly  attain,  could  "  the 
desire  of  the  slothful,"  or  the  caprice  of  the  vain, 
or  the  resources  of  the  wealthy,  procure  it  for  him. 
Facts  speak  on  this  point.  How  much  is  the  cause 
of  the  Reformation  indebted  to  learning  1  Almost  as 
much  as  learning  has  been  also  indebted  to  it !  Look 


56 


at  the  map  of  the  world.  What  but  learning  ever 
translated  the  Bible  into  our  mother  tongue,  or  any 
other  tongue,  since  "  Babel  was  confounded  V  What 
a  prodigious  effect  on  all  the  interests  of  society  has 
the  art  of  printing  exerted !  Look  at  the  Friends 
themselves.  The  writings  of  Barclay,  Penn,  and 
others,  who  were  comparatively  learned  men,  have 
procured  for  them  all  the  theological  respectability, 
or  the  most  of  it,  which  they  have  ever  attained  :  and 
of  this  they  are  so  conscious,  that  they  continually 
refer  to  those  writers  for  a  vindication  of  their  tenets. 
The  sum  is  this  :  no  man  ever  yet  sincerely  or  con- 
sistently denounced  true  learning,  who  did  himself 
possess  it ;  and  they  who  possess  it  not,  are  no  pro- 
per judges  in  the  case.  "  He  that  answereth  a  matter 
before  he  heareth  it,  it  is  folly  and  shame  unto  him." 
Prov.  18  :  13.  The  book  of  Proverbs  is  Baconian, 
to  a  wonder  ! 

But  there  is  one  feature  of  the  system  of  Friends 
which  deserves  a  recognition  here — its  inimical  re- 
gard to  classical  and  scientific  learning.  I  do  not 
say  that  all  Friends  are  thus  hostile,  or  that  they 
are  all  alike  hostile  to  liberal  learning ;  but  /  charge 
this  hostility  on  the  system.  That  such  is  its  cha- 
racter, appears  from  the  denunciation,  the  indis- 
criminate proscription  of  Barclay ;  and  that  not  in 
a  few  places  of  his  book.  It  a^ppears  in  the  general 
hostility  of  Friends  to  all  colleges  and  seminaries 
where  the  elevated  branches  are  thoroughly  taught. 
Not  one  young  Friend  out  of  five  hundred,  even  in 
this  free  country,  ever  obtains  a  liberal  education, 
in  fact  or  in  name ;  certainly  never  becomes  gradu- 


57 


ated  in  the  arts  at  any  chartered  institution ;  and 
where  an  instance  occurs,  it  is  always  attended  with 
special  difficulties.  They  have  no  college  of  liberal 
science  in  the  world!  Some,  I  know,  of  the  sus- 
pected worldly  sort  in  Philadelphia,  have  proposed, 
and  would  have  forwarded  so  excellent  an  object ; 
but  they  were  always  awed  into  despondency  by 
the  unlettered,  all-knowing  light  within.  And  in 
this,  their  obsequiousness  was  quite  consistent ; 
for,  if  schools,  academies  and  universities  are  all  in 
their  nature  wrong,  and  as  such  forbidden  of  God, 
it  is  certainly  right  to  desist  totally  and  at  once  from 
the  prosecution  of  their  cause  !  Incidental  evils  in- 
deed they  will  always  include  ;  but  the  system  is 
not  chargeable  with  these,  unless  in  its  own  nature 
it  approves  and  fosters  them.  There  will  always, 
perhaps,  be  hypocrites  at  the  communion  table  ;  but 
Christianity  does  not  make  them :  and  the  purest 
ministry  of  the  gospel  will  often  become  "  a  savor 
of  death  unto  death ;"  but  sinners  themselves,  and 
not  such  a  ministry,  are  to  blame  for  the  conse- 
quence. And  so  the  best  organized  system  of  in- 
tellectual education  that  the  world  has  ever  seen, 
has  often  presented  the  appaUing  spectacle  of  pro- 
fligate and  wicked  students  perverting  its  privileges. 
But  what  of  that  \  Shall  we  burn  our  colleges  \  Why 
not  our  primary  school-houses  too "?  What  benefi- 
cent institution,  what  bounty  of  the  blessed  God  is 
not  perverted  and  abused  in  this  naughty  world  I  I 
return  to  the  fact,  and  ask  the  friends  of  order, 
of  religion,  and  of  man,  dispassionately  to  consider, 
at  their  leisure,  the  three  following  questions  : 

8 


58 


1.  75  Quakerism  friendly  to  the  cultivation  and 
diffusion  of  scientific  knowledge  1  2.  If  not,  is  it  con- 
genial any  more  icith  Christianity  than  with  the  real 
interests  of  the  nation  or  the  worldl  3.  When  would 
the  whole  world  he  converted  to  Christ  upon  their 
principles,  or  by  their  influence  ? 

One  painful  consideration  to  any  person  who 
wishes  and  who  endeavors  to  subserve  the  conver- 
sion of  Friends  to  Christianity,  is  their  characteristic 
aversion  to  investigate.  One  special  reason  of 
this,  beside  others,  not  a  few  derived,  in  common 
with  the  hinderances  of  other  men,  from  the  "  first 
Adam, "  results  from  the  genius  of  their  religion. 
To  investigate,  is  to  think,  examine,  analyze ;  and 
in  religion  it  is  to  "  search  the  scriptures  daily ;" 
to  "  ask  wisdom  "  in  prayer  to  God ;  to  weigh  evi- 
dence ;  to  respect  the  opinion  of  others,  so  far  as 
to  "  consider  "  what  they  say  ;  to  admit  the  possi- 
bility of  one's  own  error  on  any  subject ;  to  depre- 
cate and  resist  the  dark  tyranny  of  prejudice;  to 
deny  infallibility  to  men  universally  ;  to  surmount 
the  dictation  of  friends  just  as  sincerely  as  that  of 
enemies ;  to  feel  the  incomparable  value  of  truth, 
and  to  realize  the  obligation  of  the  mandate,  "  buy 
the  truth,  and  sell  it  not ;"  to  feel  and  to  own  one's 
personal  fallibility  ;  to  study  the  force  and  to  sift 
the  correctness  of  educational  principles ;  to  ply  all 
proper  means  of  right  knowledge  with  candor  and 
benevolence  ;  to  grasp  known  truth,  after  examina- 
tion, with  courage  and  tenacity ;  to  habituate  the 
exercise  of  investigation ;  to  incline  one's  ear  unto 
wisdom,  and  apply  the  heart  to  understanding ;  yea, 


59 


to  cry  after  knowledge,  and  lift  up  the  voice  for 
understanding  ;  to  seek  her  as  silver,  and  search  for 
her  as  for  hid  treasures ;  in  order  to  understand 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the  knowledge  of  God." 
Prov.  2  :  2-5.  True,  there  are  some  minds  com- 
paratively incapable  of  investigation.  They  look 
back,  and  not  forward,  and  they  can  see  nothing 
out  of  the  wake  of  their  own  random  sailing.  They 
perceive  not  the  other  side  of  the  question.  With 
them  to  investigate  is  indevotion,  is  danger,  is 
scepticism — so  incredulous  are  they  of  the  ultimate 
truth  of  what  they  believe.  With  them  abstraction 
is  distraction  ;  the  value  of  pi'inciples  of  thought  is 
inscrutable  ;  and  degrees  of  evidence  are  a  profane 
supposition.  What  they  believe  they  know,  though 
they  cannot  prove  it ;  what  they  hold,  they  are  sure 
is  right,  though  they  have  no  other  evidence  ;  and 
what  their  conscience  approves,  they  are  not  afraid 
to  venture,  because  they  are  sincere.  "  The  slug- 
gard is  wiser  in  his  own  conceit  than  seven  men 
that  can  render  a  reason."  Prov.  26 :  16.  "  Seest 
thou  a  man  wise  in  his  own  conceit  X  There 
is  more  hope  of  a  fool  than  of  him.  12."  "  My  son, 
give  me  thine  heart,  and  let  thine  eyes  observe  my 
ways."  23  :  26.  "  Brethren,  be  not  children  in  un- 
derstanding :  howbeit,  in  malice  be  ye  children, 

but  IN  UNDERSTANDING  BE  MEN."     1  Cor.    14  :  20. 

There  are  minds,  too,  so  weak  and  insipid  in  their 
very  structure,  that,  wherever  is  their  place  in  "  the 
body,"  it  is  plain  that  they  were  never  intended  for 
"  the  eye ;"  although  the  perversion  of  their  native 
training,  mixed  with  the  dregs  of  their  own  vanity. 


60 


may  possibly  intoxicate  them  with  the  notion  of  their 
competency  to  become  leaders  in  religion.  Such 
minds  as  these  are  easily  brought  to  feel  the  flame 
of  inspiration,  and  to  surrender  to  all  the  phantasies 
of  that  serene  delirium.  But  with  respect  to  greater 
minds,  those  capacitated  for  thought  and  investi- 
gation, what  are  we,  in  consistency,  to  expect  from 
them,  after  they  have  imbibed  from  infancy  the 
sentiment  of  a  universal  inward  light,  paramount 
to  the  scriptures,  which  every  man  is  supremely 
bound  to  audit  and  to  follow,  "  through  faith  in  its 
effectual  operation  ?"  Hence  is  it  that  I  aver  their 
intractableness,  and  their  consistent  aversion  to 
investigate,  as  resulting  from  the  very  genius  of 
their  religion.  Their  master  spirits  often,  I  might 
say  habitually,  resist  the  tendencies  of  rational 
thought,  that  they  may  get  still,  suppress  "  the  mo- 
tions and  activity  of  the  creature,"  and  come  to 
know  a  unity  with  the  life,  the  power,  and  spirit 
within  them.  This  is  their  religion.  It  was  the 
very  soul  of  the  scheme  and  conduct  of  George 
Fox.  When  I  was  yet  recent  in  the  faith  of 
Christ,  and  before  I  was  "  disowned  ;"  being  in 
company  with  some  eminent  preachers  of  the  so- 
ciety at  a  public  inn,  and  conversing  very  mode- 
rately, but  with  decision,  on  the  topics  of  difference  ; 
one  of  the  preachers  suddenly  rose,  beckoned 
me  solemnly  into  an  adjoining  apartment,  and  then 
commenced  his  inspired  advice  substantially  in  this 
sort :  "  Samuel,  thy  mind  is  too  active  ;  if  thee 
wants  peace,  I  can  tell  thee  how  to  find  it :  get  still, 
get  still !  and  thou  shalt  come  to  know  the  hidden 


61 


wisdom  in  the  quiet  of  all  flesh.  I  tell  thee,  my 
dear  young  friend,  get  still."  I  thanked  him  for  his 
intentioned  kindness ;  but  told  him  that  was  a  very 
inferior  answer  to  the  question,  What  must  I  do  to 
he  saved  1  compared  with  the  inspired  answer  covl- 
tained  in  the  scriptures.  Acts,  16  :  31.  I  told  him 
I  felt  bound  in  conscience  toward  God,  to  prove 
all  things ;  and  that  I  deeply  doubted  the  peace  of 
which  he  spoke,  as  I  desired  none  that  could  not 
look  at  the  truth  without  blenching,  and  grow 
stronger  and  purer  by  a  thorough  investigation  of 
the  doctrine  of  Christ.  I  treated  him  kindly,  and 
felt  what  I  seemed.  He  however  was  offended, 
as  I  suppose,  because  I  could  not  follow  his  advice, 
since  I  felt  obligated  to  investigate  : — I  suppose 
this  from  several  ungrateful  and  unreciprocated  indi- 
cations ;  especially  this,  that  though  I  occasionally 
see  him  in  the  city  of  his  residence,  and  have  to- 
ward him,  as  the  Lord  knows,  feelings  of  kind- 
ness alone,  he  never  knows  me  !  He  walks  by  me 
in  the  street,  or  rides  in  wealthy  dignity ;  and  seems 
to  say  as  we  pass  each  other,  "  he  was  fairly  warned  ; 
but  he  wilfully  refused — to  get  still !"  Alas !  my 
memory  and  conscience  both  confirm  the  charge. 
May  his  mind  never  respond  affirmatively  to  a  more 
serious  one! 

Uncharitableness  will  probably  be  charged  to  my 
account.  But  (1)  does  it  come  with  a  good  grace 
from  Friends  1  From  those  who  in  their  writings, 
their  discipline,  their  preaching,  and  their  common 
talk,  denounce  all  the  christian  ministry,  of  what- 
ever denomination,   as  "  hirelings  f    This  word, 


62 


that  abounds  in  their  use,  occurs  in  the  New-Testa- 
ment only  in  one  chapter  and  one  connection; 
(John,  10 ;)  and  means  a  false  teacher  of  religion,  who 
loves  the  wages  more  than  work  ;  who  loves  the 
wages  supremely,  and  "careth  not  for  the  sheep." 
It  is  there  used  three  times  only.  In  their  stereo- 
typed calumny,  they  unchurch  and  eternally  undo 
every  minister  of  the  gospel  who  receives  a  tempo- 
ral support  for  his  spiritual  services;  though  his 
whole  powers  and  time  and  affections  are  devoted 
to  the  work  of  the  ministry  alone ; — for,  an  "  hire- 
ling," that  deserves  the  name,  is  certainly,  as  Judas, 
the  prince  of  reprobates!  How  happens  it  that 
Friends  have  obtained,  even  by  immemorial  prece- 
dent, a  license  from  public  sentiment  on  this  ar- 
ticle 1  If  what  they  allege  is  true,  Tillotson,  Watts — 
some  of  whose  hymns  they  teach  their  children, 
and  Blair,  and  millions  beside  of  the  noblest  stars 
in  the  ecclesiastical  firmament,  are  now  "  lifting  up 
their  eyes  in  hell,  being  in  torments  !"  And  are  they 
the  immaculate  exempts  that  may  cry  out  "uncha- 
ritableness,"  when  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ 
undertakes  to  expose  their  errors  and  tell  them  the 
truth  in  its  plainness,  "  according  to  the  command- 
ment of  the  everlasting  God,"  and  as  it  is  re- 
vealed "  by  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets — made 
known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedience  of  faith  1" 
Rom.  16 :  26. 

There  is  one  other  fact  worthy  of  notice,  (and  I 
could  easily  summon  more,)  in  illustration  of  their 
claim  to  decry  uncharitableness  :  Their  polity,  both 
in  its  organization  and  its  known  and  frequent 


63 


administration,  positively  excommunicates,  collec- 
tively and  individually,  all  the  true  churches  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  Christendom,  and  every  personal  professor 
of  the  faith  of  Jesus,  who  belongs  not  to  their  so- 
ciety !  Proof — If  one  of  their  members  of  either 
sex,  dares  to  contract  marriage  with  any  other  per- 
son, however  excellent  and  however  exemplary  in 
every  christian  virtue,  they  are  immediately  under  the 
necessity  to  make  a  formal  (written — if  I  recollect 
right)  declaration  of  their  repentance,  as  if  they  had 
committed  a  grievous  sin  ;  or — would  you  believe 
it,  fathers  and  brethren '? — be  excommunicated,  or 
publicly  "disowned,"  by  the  operation  of  "the  good 
order  used  amongst  them!"  This,  resulting  ne- 
cessarily from  the  genius  of  Quakerism,  is  a  fixed 
and  immutable  statute,  in  England,  Ireland,  America, 
and  elsewhere ;  and  has  been  since  the  originof  the 
society.  If  they  do  not  know  it,  I  would  tell  them — 
that  it  is  a  pestilent  limb  of  antichrist ;  a  piece  of 
covert  popery ;  a  legislation  contrary  to  the  certain 
constitution  of  God ;  a  principle  of  organized  and 
iniquitous  misanthropy — and  in  every  view  criminal, 
tyrannous,  and  wrong !  No  community  on  earth  have 
a  right  to  make  such  an  ordinance.  It  is  proof  that 
they  are  a  "  society, "  and  not  a  church  of  Jesus  Christ. 
I,  of  course,  speak  this  merely  from  a  sense  of  right, 
having  no  possible  interest  in  the  subject  but  what 
I  avow.  But  is  it  not  a  crying  shame,  a  disgrace 
to  the  age,  and  a  monstrosity  in  christian  society? 
It  often  leads,  as  I  know,  to  hypocrisy,  equivocation, 
and  all  the  sly  arts  of  evasion  ;  while  its  repudiated 
victims  are  many.    Suppose,  for  example,  that  a 


64 


character  as  exalted  and  stainless  as  Dr.  Chalmers, 
should  contract  an  alliance,  "  honorable  in  all,"  with 
a  lady  of  worth  belonging  to  the  society ;  and 
suppose  that,  when  waited  on  "  under  dealings," 
she  should  find  it  in  her  heart  rather  to  bless  the 
God  of  Rebecca,  for  the  Isaac  of  her  pure  affections, 
than  to  repent  of  the  donation  and  the  blessing 
together,  that  she  might  retain  the  incalculable  ad- 
vantage of  "  her  birth-right "  among  such  a  people  : 
why,  the  consequence  is  infallible !  But  this  is  not 
all.  The  register  of  her  misdemeanor  and  her  reso- 
lute impenitence,  after  being  read  to  all  the  assem- 
bled meetings,  (men's  and  women's  apart,)  is  per- 
petuated to  coming  ages,  with  the  added  oppro- 
brium— "  by  the  assistance  of  a  hireling  minister ;" 
or  words  very  like  these  ipsissima  of  my  present 
recollection.  The  result  however  is  the  same,  as 
it  respects  "  disownment,"  if  the  marriage  is  con^ 
summated  by  a  magistrate,  or  in  any  other  way  of 
"  the  world's  people."  Their  policy  in  this  is  ob- 
vious :  it  is  to  eternize  their  sectarianism — to  di- 
vorce their  members  from  human  nature,  and  to 
excommunicate  the  species,  in  order  to  maintain  their 
resolute  peculiarities !  Odisse  humanum  genus  ."^ 
Is  Quakerism  Christianity  1  One  final  cause  of  the 
interdict  of  God,  in  respect  to  marriage  within  cer- 
tain degrees  of  consanguinity  and  affinity,  is  doubt- 
less to  destroy,  or  rather  to  prevent,  the  clanishness 
of  families  ;  to  interlace  the  centres  and  connect  the 
circles  of  social  life  in  one  vast  and  catholic  attrac- 
tion ;  and  to  make  every  one  "  honor  all  men,  "  and 
feel  that  every  individual  that  has  a  soul,  and  for  whom 


65 


Christ  died,  and  who  belongs  to  our  common  species, 
is  an  object  of  obligatory  and  reciprocal  benevo- 
lence. Let  me  say  again,  I  am  not  angry  at  them. 
It  is  a  desire  of  their  salvation  that  leads  me  to  hold 
to  their  vision  the  mirror  of  truth.  If  the  reflection 
is  ungrateful,  the  rays  of  incidence  come  from  them- 
selves. I  only  wish  to  demonstrate  to  every  reader 
that  their  talk  about  charity  is  not  so  congruous ; 
and  to  remind  them  of  the  proverb  applicable  to 
those  who  "live  in  glass  houses."  Nor  is  the  as- 
sumption here  gratuitous.  There  is  no  people  in 
the  world  more  sensitive  than  they  to  the  esteem  of 
men.  They  are  sensitive  also  to  the  importance  of 
charity,  and  even  clamorous  for  its  exercise — when 
they  are  to  be  the  objects  of  it.  Their  vehemence 
is  prodigiously  reduced  in  those  relations  where  they 
are  justly  entitled  to  become  the  subjects  of  it.  Many 
of  them  speak  as  if  the  obligations  of  charity  were 
not  reciprocal,  and  as  if  the  lines  of  charity  autho- 
rized its  movement  only  in  one  direction — I  need 
not  say  toward  themselves.  At  its  best,  the  charity 
of  a  Quaker  for  other  denominations  is  mere  feel- 
ing at  the  time,  ordinarily  one  of  the  most  capri- 
cious, flitting,  and  gossamer  productions  in  the 
world.  A  soul  without  principles  is  about  as  strong 
and  steady  in  moral  action,  as  in  ordinary  life  would 
be  a  body  without  bones.  (2)  They  ought  to 
remember,  if  they  ever  knew,  the  nature  of  charity. 
With  the  mere  word,  I  confess  myself  on  no  very 
amicable  terms  ;  and  wish  sincerely  it  had  never 
appeared  in  our  English  Bible.  The  original  word 
wyanri  is  rendered  love  very  often,  and  should  have 


66 


been  so  rendered  in  every  instance.  It  would  then 
have  prevented  a  vast  amount  of  dotage,  mistake, 
and  lawless  affectation.  Love  means,  benevo- 
lence, "good  will  to  men."  And  if  I  have  outraged 
this  pure  celestial  principle,  how  was  it  done  1  I 
have  been  satirical,  ironical,  sarcastic,  possibly. 
True  ;  and  I  wish  I  could  have  done  it  all  with  more 
address ;  "  wise  as  a  serpent  and  harmless  as  a 
dove."  I  wish  that  I  could  have  maintained  more 
palpably  throughout  the  distinction  between  the 
persons  of  Friends  and  their  individual  interests 
on  the  one  hand,  and  their  corporate  and  public 
rrors  on  the  other.  But  may  I  not  appeal  to  them 
and  to  all,  in  my  turn,  for  honesty,  for  justice  1  Will 
they  not  credit  me  when  I  assure  them  that  I  aimed 
to  honor  the  distinction  adequately,  and  that  it  is 
against  their  errors  alone  that  I  have  desired  to  be 
bold  and  even  severe  1 

If  they  ask  why  I  have  been  willing  to  make  them 
appear  ridiculous,  and  why,  on  such  a  serious  sub- 
ject, I  have  been  so  willing  to  excite  sometimes  the 
laughter  of  the  reader  1  I  answer,  mainly  for  two  rea- 
sons :  first,  because  it  appears  to  me  that  some  of  their 
chief  errors  are  so  antiquated,  and  at  the  same  time 
so  venerable  in  their  own  view,  and  incorrigible  by 
ordinary  measures,  that  it  was  like  Elijah  at  Mount 
Carmel,  when  he  demonstrated  the  ridiculous  but 
most  devout  worship  of  the  idolaters  to  be  what  it  was, 
by  holding  their  folly  obvious  to  the  multitude,  in  a 
vein  of  the  most  biting  and  acrimonious  irony  of 
which  we  have  any  example  ;  and  second,  because 
the  genius  of  their  system,  by  inducing  a  spurious 


i 


67 


solemnity  on  every  religious  subject,  puts  the  whole 
matter  ordinarily  out  of  the  reach  of  men,  who  ought 
to  have  religion  familiarized  to  their  thoughts,  and  in- 
terwoven with  their  daily  associations,  and  engrafted 
upon  all  the  objects  of  their  converse  in  life  ;  instead 
of  being  shrouded  in  unapproachable  solemnity  and 
inscrutable  mystery.  I  have  therefore  endeavored  so 
to  write,  that  if,  through  the  infinite  grace  of  Jesus 
Christ,  we  should  meet  at  last  in  a  better  world, 
where  prejudice  shall  be  done  away  for  ever,  my 
charity  will  be  accredited  ;  my  motives  unim- 
peached ;  my  reasons  vindicated  even  for  the  al- 
leged severities.  Let  them  remember  that  charity, 
the  name  and  the  thing,  is  a  matter  among  the  most 
abused  in  our  language,  "the  sport  of  mere  pre- 
tenders to  the  name,"  and  the  very  antipodes  often 
of  christian  benevolence.  This  "  rejoiceth  in  the 
truth  ;"  and  "hateth  every  false  way  ;"  and  will  in 
any  wise  maintain  pure  the  religion  of  heaven.  I 
suppose  it  charity  to  abet  the  truth  ;  to  expose  and 
frustrate,  by  rational  argument  and  moral  means, 
all  the  errors  that  would  corrupt  it ;  to  become  ag- 
gressively a  controvertist  or  even  a  champion  for  its 
sake ;  and  in  valor  to  "  contend  earnestly  for  the 
faith  ONCE  delivered" — mark,  not  delivered  mil- 
lions of  times,  or  oftener,  but  ONCE  delivered — 
"to  the  saints."  "If  there  come  any  unto  you, 
and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive  him  not  into 
your  house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed  :  for,  he 
that  biddeth  him  God  speed,  is  partaker  of  his 
evil  deeds."  This  is  charity  of  a  genuine  stamp  ; 
charity  coined  in  the  mint  of  heaven,  and  having 


68 


"the  image  and  superscription  of  God."  Of  what 
kind  of  love  becomes  it  the  destruction,  practically 
to  honor  such  of  his  commandments  1  That  kind 
that  postpones  the  first  table  of  the  law  to  the  second ; 
talks  well  of  both,  and  obeys  neither  ;  delights 
in  those  imaginings  which  truth  denounces,  and 
courts  darkness  rather  than  light,  as  the  atmosphere 
of  all  its  flourishing !  It  is  charity  to — self,  dear  self, 
partial,  evil,  deceitful  self!  And  is  not  the  selfishness 
of  the  original  the  reason  why  the  picture  is  denied  \ 
It  may  be  proper  here  to  view  the  subject  in 
another  aspect.  There  is  a  great  schism  in  the 
body.  Friends  are  divided,  or  rather  subdivided 
into  two  distinct  sects,  at  least  in  this  country ;  the 
Orthodox  and  the  Hicksites.  I  have  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  the  letter  already  referred  to,  written  by 
myself  to  the  committee  at  Philadelphia,  A.  D. 
1813,  had  some  influence,  in  the  providence  of  God, 
in  producing  the  event.  It  was  the  first  bill  of 
attainder  that  ever  was  filed  in  that  city,  I  ween, 
against  the  oraculous  Simon  of  the  Samaritans  ; 
who  had  widely  "  bewitched  the  people,  giving  out 
that  himself  was  some  great  one  :  to  whom  they 
all  gave  heed,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,  saying. 
This  man  is  the  great  power  of  God.  And  to  him 
they  had  regard,  because  that  of  long  time  he  had 
bewitched  them  with  sorceries."  However  that  be, 
I  wish  to  remark  on  the  fact :  1 .  That  it  is  only  a 
change  in  the  progress  of  the  times  and  the  increase 
of  evangelical  light,  which  requires  and  portends  other 
revolutions.  It  has  broke  the  charm  of  infallibility , 
in  which  the  semi-papacy  of  the  seventeenth  century 


69 


(when  other  monstrosities  were  "spouted  from  the 
crater  of  a  revolutionary  volcano  ")  may  be  identified 
in  Quakerism.  That  human  infallibility  must  exist 
somewhere  on  earth,  our  ancestors  held  it  sacri- 
legious to  doubt.  The  Pope  and  Fox  agreed  in 
the  general  sentiment ;  and  each  of  them  claimed 
it  as  his  own  :  only  one  challenged  it  by  virtue  of 
St.  Peter's  investiture,  the  other  as  the  result  of 
interior  illumination.  Hence  the  dogmatizing  of 
Quakerism  is  all  "  anointed "  with  infallibility. 
What  could  inspiration  more?  But  the  charm  is 
broken.  Altar  is  reared  against  altar ;  and  oppo- 
site batteries,  equally  infallible,  pour  their  polemical 
voUies  into  each  other,  with  new  methods  of  gun- 
nery and  fortification.  I  think  this  is  well,  rather 
than  the  opposite.  It  may  yet  open  the  eyes  of  both 
belligerents  to  the  real  light.  "  A  living  dog  is 
better  than  a  dead  lion."  Any  thing  but  stagnation, 
"  silent  meetings,"  and  a  sleepy  congregation — 
telhng  how  "  refreshed  "  they  felt !  Concussions  in 
the  atmosphere,  with  the  glare  of  lightning,  and  the 
roll  of  thunder,  and  the  terror  of  all  terrestrial  con- 
sciousness, may  still  be  necessary  to  purity,  health, 
and  even  life.  "Some  indeed  preach  Christ  even  of 
envy  and  strife :  and  some  also  of  good  will.  What 
then  1  Notwithstanding,  every  way,  whether  in  pre- 
tence or  in  truth,  Christ  is  preached;  and  I  therein 
do  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  rejoice."  I  allude  mainly  to 
the  idea  of  action  and  inquiry  on  the  subject  of  reli- 
gion, as  better  than  dotage  and  supineness — not  that 
I  think  the  preaching  of  either  party  is  the  pure  truth 
of  the  gospel,  or  that  either  properly  "  preach  Christ " 


70 


at  all.  I  am  convinced  of  the  contrary.  Still,  there 
is  no  hope  of  those  who  take  all  for  granted  "  even 
as  they  are  led,"  and  who  examine  nothing.  Ex- 
citement is  not  religion — but  it  is  ordinarily  indis- 
pensable to  it.  This  may  be  the  very  means  se- 
lected by  that  admirable  Economist  who  is  "  won- 
derful in  counsel  and  excellent  in  working,"  to  rouse 
them  from  the  lethargy  of  ages;  and  necessitate 
their  practical  searching,  so  as  to  bring  them,  it  may 
be,  savingly  to  know  the  "  truth  and  soberness  "  of 
the  gospel.  God  is  a  real  and  glorious,  though  an 
invisible  and  little  accredited  agent,  in  all  these 
teeming  wonders  of  his  sovereignty.  O  let  us  pray 
more,  that  his  prospering  breath  may  vivify,  through 
the  truth,  an  awakened  and  confounded  population ! 
2.  We  may  he  in  danger  of  thinking  too  much  of 
it ;  of  dishonoring  too  much  in  comparison  the  one 
party,  and  of  crediting  the  other  prematurely  for 
attainments  they  have  yet  to  make ;  and  so  of  in- 
juring both  parties,  and  really  retarding  their  com- 
mon proficiency.  I  have  something  gravely  to 
allege  against  those  called  orthodox — only  by  con- 
trast with  notions  the  most  infidel,  and  sordid,  and 
impudent  in  error  ;  something,  on  account  of  which, 
while  it  remains,  I  feel  pressed,  in  judgment  and  in 
conscience  too,  to  deny  to  them  boldly  a  recognition 
of  christian  character.  I  cannot  at  all  fellowship 
them,  so  corrupt  is  their  confession,  and  so  equivo- 
cal their  "  professed  subjection  unto  the  gospel  of 
Christ :"  I  say  again,  in  the  ear  of  earth  and  the 
eye  of  heaven,  that  I  cannot  do  it ;  nor  do  I  think, 
most  excellent  sirs,  that  one  of  you,  or  those  whom 


71 


jrou  represent  and  influence,  ought  to  do  it.  Sup- 
pose they  are,  by  possibility,  genuine  christians  at 
heart ;  I  still  think  that  they  are  so  exceedingly  de- 
fective that  God  has  a  terrible  controversy  with 
them,  in  which  we  are  in  danger  of  taking  side 
against  him,  by  a  course  of  fraternizing  and  con- 
gratulation, while  they  remain  as  they  are.  He 
neither  requires  us  to  search  the  heart,  nor  to  admit 
a  silly  charity  against  evidence  or  without  it.  The 
defect  to  which  I  allude  is  pervading  and  universal. 
It  is  the  stain,  and,  in  my  christian  judgment,  the 
damning  fault  of  all  their  publications — the  very 
best  of  them.  I  call  them  "  orthodox"  only  by  usage, 
and  for  distinction,  and  always  with  reluctance, 
while  I  witness  that  accursed  leaven  in  all  their  pub- 
lished symbols.  It  is  a  qualifier  downward  of  all 
their  good  promisings  ;  it  is  the  obscuration,  if  not 
the  extinguisher,  of  all  their  heavenly  light ;  it  is 
the  goal,  and  the  limit,,  and  the  barrier,  of  their 
christian  advancement ;  and  it  is  an  error  which  no 
one  of  you  would  allow,  among  any  other  people, 
to  the  man  whom  you  would  feel  warranted  to  fel- 
lowship as  a  cliristain  brother.  It  is  this  :  perti- 
naciously REFUSING  TO  ACKNOWLEDGE  THE  PARA- 
MOUNT AUTHORITY  OF  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES,  AS 
OUR  RULE  OF  FAITH  AND  PRACTICE  ;  AND  REFUSING, 
WITH  MELANCHOLY  AND  EQUAL  CONSISTENCY  TO 
FOLLOW  THE  EXAMPLE  OF  JeSUS  ChRIST  IN  CALLING 

THEM  "  THE  WORD  OF  GOD." 

Where  got  they  all  their  honorable  orthodoxy,  but 
from  that  book  of  books  which  they  dare  to  call 
"  a  secondary  rule  V    How  know  they  one  grand 


72 


truth,  how  can  they  prove  it  in  controversy,  but  by 
resort  to  the  scripture,  that  "  cannot  be  broken 
They  quote  Barclay,  in  what  he  says  with  cardinal 
heresy,  that  the  scriptures  "  are  not  to  be  esteemed 
the  adequate,  primary  rule  of  faith  and  manners. 
Yet,  because  they  give  a  true  and  faithful  testimony 
of  the  first  foundation,  they  are  and  may  be  esteemed 
a  secondary  rule,  subordinate  to  the  Spirit,  from 
which  they  have  all  their  excellency  and  certainty; 
for,  as  by  the  inward  testimony  of  the  Spirit  we  do 
alone  truly  know  them,  so  they  testify  that  the  Spirit 
is  that  guide  by  which  the  saints  are  led  into  all 
truth  ;  therefore,  according  to  the  scriptures,  the 
Spirit  is  the  first  and  principal  leader.  Seeing,  then, 
that  we  do  therefore  receive  and  believe  the  scrip- 
tures, because  they  proceeded  from  the  Spirit,  for 
the  very  same  reason  is  the  Spirit  more  originally 
and  principally  the  rule,  according  to  the  received 
maxim  in  the  schools  :  '  Propter  quod  unum  quod- 
que  est  tale,  illud  ipsum  est  magis  tale  ;'  that  for 
which  a  thing  is  such,  that  thing  itself  is  more  such." 
Of  this  caballistical  aphorism  more  hereafter. 

I  have  taken  the  above  from  a  late  publication  of 
theirs,  entitled,  "  An  EXPOSITION  of  the  Faith 

OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  SoCIETY  OF  FrIENDS,  COMMONLY 

CALLED  Quakers,  in  the  fundamental  doctrines 

OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION,  PRINCIPALLY  SELECTED 
FROM  THEIR  EARLY  WRITINGS.    By  ThOMAS  EvANS." 

With  the  family  of  the  compiler,  or  author,  I  have 
some  quondam  acquaintance  ;  and  may  add,  that  I 
sincerely  respect  them  for  their  singular  intelligence, 
and  comparative  deference  for  the  scriptures  ;  in 


73 


which  they  seem  to  me  to  go  farther  than  others, 
and  perhaps  as  far  as  they  can,  with  the  perilous 
enchantment  of  Fox  and  Barclay,  and  all  the  retinue 
of  inspired  errorists  of  the  sort,  obstructing  them. 
For  others  of  the  party  I  entertain  a  similar  defer- 
ence— as  real  and  as  deep  as  they  possess  who 
flatter  them  more,  or  who  dislike  their  errors  less. 
The  Exposition  contains  232  citations  from  early 
Friends,  to  prove  "  that  they  sincerely  believed, 
and  openly  avowed,  the  great  fundamental  truths  of 
the  christian  religion."  It  is  published  under  the 
sanction  of  the  society,  by  their  assembled  "  repre- 
sentatives." The  work  is  neat,  showing  great  ac- 
curacy and  great  pains-taking  in  the  selection.  It 
is  constituted  throughout  of  precious  excerpts  from 
the  writings  of  the  society ;  and  appears  to  me — 
and  it  would  be  affectation  to  imply  that  I  did  not 
think  myself  a  judge  in  such  things — to  be  the  very 
best  manifesto  of  their  views,  in  seeming  approxi- 
mation to  catholic  orthodoxy,  that  I  have  ever  seen, 
or  which  I  believe  it  possible  to  compile  or  select 
from  the  writings  of  their  authors.  It  proves,  how- 
ever, that  in  their  belief  they  have  been  cardinal 
HERETICS  from  the  beginning — the  whole  of  them  ; 
and  that  the  present  "  orthodox"  intend  to  remain 
what  their  fathers  were.  Allow  me,  too,  to  express 
my  wonder  and  regret  at  the  facility  with  which 
some  truly  orthodox  divines,  under  the  influence  of 
the  imposing  wame  of  orthodox,  have  gloried  in  them, 
and  recognised  them  as  christian  brethren,  vastly 
increasing  the  satisfactions  of  the  inward  light !  It  is 

10 


74 


really  injuring  them,  and  compromising  the  truth  of 
God,  which  we  are  set  to  defend. 

Let  me  state  a  case  that  is  quite  parallel  in  my 
own  estimate.  Some  Unitarians,  as  they  call  them- 
selves, in  order  to  slander  us  of  tritheism,  are  as 
low  as  Socinus  himself,  uncle  or  nephew ;  as  low  as 
mere  humanitarianism  can  make  them.  Others  of 
hoc  genus  omne,  are  hyperarians  ;  they  believe  not 
only  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  chief  of  all  creatures, 
but  so  ancient  and  exalted  and  incomparable,  that  he 
is  their  constituted  Head,  and  even  very  God — in  a 
subordinate  sense!  i.  e.  that  he  is  God,  truly  and 
properly,  saving  only  that  he  is  not  the  eternal  Je- 
hovah, and  was  indeed  created  to  be,  what  he  is, 
the  glorious  Chieftain  of  creation.  Thus  I  have 
given  the  scale  of  finite,  on  which  different  degrees, 
between  the  two  extremes  specified,  are  selected, 
by  different  "  deniers  of  the  Lord  that  bought  them," 
as  their  resting-place — for  the  present.  How  high, 
very  estimable  sirs,  on  that  scale  might  I  ascend, 
speaking  divers  good  and  true  things  by  the  way, 
in  favor  of  your  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  and 
at  the  same  time  denying  his  supreme  divinity, 
before  you,  who  understand  this  subject  so  wisely 
and  well,  would  own  me  as  a  brother  in  the  Lord  \ 
You  would  tell  me,  that  though  he  was  "  of  the 
seed  of  David  according  to  the  flesh,"  i.  e.  in  his 
proper  human  nature,  he  was  also,  in  his  superior 
nature,  "  God  over  all,  and  blessed  for  ever;" 
and  that  until  I  threw  away  my  scale  of  finite,  and 
forbore  to  attempt  to  measure  infinite,  and  recog- 
nise Jesus  Christ  as  the  Jehovah  of  the  Bible, 


75 


whom  Isaiah  saw  in  vision  on  his  throne,  ch.  6,  (John, 
12,)  such  a  recognition  could  never  be  extended ; 
it  was  morally  impossible,  and  wholly  out  of  the 
question ;  and  you  would,  I  think,  answer  as  you 
ought,  in  consistency  not  more  than  duty.  It  is  not 
by  lowering,  or  altering  the  standard  of  God,  that 
men  are  reduced  to  conformity  and  similitude. 

And  when  a  whole  sect  come,  in  effect,  to  you, 
and  detrude  "  the  oracles  of  God"  from  their  justly 
supreme  pre-eminence,  call  them  "  a  secondary 
rule,"  and  license  them  to  be  "  esteemed  as  such ;" 
and  MAKE  God  himself  a  rule  of  action;  (the 
only  way  in  which  they  can  show  a  superior  rule ;) 
and  profess  to  walk  by  the  greater,  and  not  by  the 
less ;  and  maintain  the  plenary  inspiration  of  George 
Fox  and  all  his  satellites  ;  and  tell  you  that  the 
scriptures  can  be  known  in  their  divinity,  not  hy 
faith  cordially  honoring  the  rational  evidence  that 
demonstrates  it  abundantly,  but  only  by  having  the 
same  spirit  that  they  had  who  gave  them  forth ; 

thus  "  MAKING  THE  WORD  OF  GOD  OF  NONE  EFFECT, 
THROUGH  THEIR  TRADITION  WHICH  THEY  HAVE  DE- 
LIVERED," as  well  as  received  ;  "  and  many  such 
like  things  they  do;"  and  when  they  say  divers 
other  things,  and  some  that  are  true  and  important, 
which  they  affect  to  know  irrespectively  of  "  the 
secondary  rule,"  or  in  a  way  of  paramount  autho- 
rity— though  you  all  well  know,  that  there  is  not  a 
particle  of  "  light  in  them"  which  they  have  not 
borrowed,  or  rather  "  stolen,"  (a  felony  which  the 
Bible  itself  indignantly  resents,)  from  that  dishonored 
rule,  "  that  they  might  keep  their  own  tradition :" 


76 


I  say,  in  such  a  case  as  this,  will  you  absolve  them 
of  the  greater,  for  the  sake  of  the  less  1  This  is  not 
the  way  of  absolution  in  a  higher  relation — "  even 
as  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  hath  forgiven  you."  Nor 
do  I  see,  by  parity  of  reasoning,  so  far  as  the  general 
principle  and  spiritual  ethics  of  the  case  are  con- 
cerned, why  we  might  not  recognise  also  some,  or 
many  of  the  deniers  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ, 
because  they  talk  so  much  panegyric,  and  so  much 
truth  of  him,  and  because  they  live  and  act  so  un- 
blamably,  notwithstanding  !  I  am  far  from  accusing 
you  of  any  such  recognition ;  and  only  allege,  that, 
however  benevolently  your  hearts  may  beat,  as  I 
know  they  do,  toward  their  highest  interests,  you 
will  be  wrong  in  principle,  and  injurious  toward  those 
very  interests,  should  you  recognise,  in  your  exalted 
stations,  the  visibility  of  their  claims  as  a  christian 
church,  or  the  reality  of  their  pretensions  as  individual 
christians.    An  opposite  course  would,  I  am  per- 
suaded, be  a  real  injury  to  themselves.  Their  error 
debilitates  all  their  principles  of  faith,  and  pervades 
the  whole  of  their  religious  sympathy.    I  have  no 
doubt  at  all,  that  it  has,  first  and  last,  been  the  means 
of  destroying  more  souls  than  the  wheels  of  the 
great  car  of  oriental  idolatry  have  ever  crushed  of  the 
bodies  of  men,  devoutly  prostrate  before  them  !  It 
is  a  virus  that  I  know  experimentally,  and  shudder 
at  the  thoughts  of  it :  "  remembering  mine  afflic- 
tion and  my  misery,  the  wormwood  and  the  gall, 
my  soul  hath  them  still  in  remembrance,  and  is  hum- 
bled in  me."  As  long  as  it  lasts,  we  can  never  con- 
vince a  Friend  of  one  of  his  "  legion"  of  subordi- 
nate mistakes!    It  completely  nullifies  the  con- 


77 


sTiTUTioN !  Like  papacy,  it  pays  great  court  to  a 
certain  volume,  the  legitimate  use  of  which  it  for 
ever  precludes  ;  awarding,  it  may  be,  a  costly  and 
gorgeous  "  envelope  of  purple,  a  casket  and  a  lock, 
for  the  Word  of  Life !"  If  there  is  any  doubt  of  this,  I 
ask  a  Friend,  on  certainly  demonstrable  scriptural 
evidence,  to  submit  most  cordially  to  the  ordinances 
of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper.  And  what  think 
you  of  this  divine  test  \  I  know  what  to  think.  He 
will  not  wait  for  the  evidence  !  he  is  afraid  to  look 
at  it !  and  as  for  doing  it,  not  he  !  he  will  glide  off, 
like  an  eel  in  his  proper  element,  and  resist  the 
light  that  shines  "outwardly"  as  plain  as  day; 
under  the  influence  of  his  viaticum  of  interior  illu- 
mination ;  walking  by  the  greater,  and  not  by  the 
less  ! !  And  so  of  any  thing  else,  contained,  however 
plainly,  in  the  word  of  God,  which  his  carnal  preju- 
dices happen  to  dislike. 

I  dismiss  this  part  of  the  subject  with  the  remark, 
that  it  is,  at  all  events,  safer  to  withhold  such  recog- 
nition, in  doubtful  circumstances,  than  to  extend  it ; 
since,  if  they  are  christians,  many,  or  all,  or  any  of 
them,  such  will  not  be  ultimately  damaged  by  the 
principled  reserve  ;  if  otherwise,  you  will  do  nothing 
to  assist  their  delusion ;  and,  at  all  events,  it  should 
never  be  a  question,  in  reference  to  any  people, 
who,  on  any  pretence  whatever,  professing  a  general 
Christianity,  still  reduce  the  word  of  God  to  a  rule 
of  "  secondary"  importance.  All  I  know,  and  all 
I  have  ever  thought,  and  read,  and  prayed,  on  this 
momentous  subject,  has  settled  me  in  the  conclusion 
for  ever,  that  they  are  fundamentally  wrong  on  this 


78 


article,  touching  the  rule  of  scripture  in  religion ; 
that  they  can  never  be  rectified  till  they  surrender, 
with  all  their  heart,  that  npcdTov  i^evbog^^  of  their 
heresy ;  that  any  reformation  short  of  this,  is  nothing 
but  an  abortion,  instead  of  a  birth ;  and  that  any 
other  sentiment  in  the  case,  especially  emanating 
from  centres  of  influence,  and  eminences  of  light, 
honored  and  dear  sirs,  such  as  God  hath  appointed 
you  to  fill  with  happy  success  in  this  our  age  and 
country,  would  dishonor  the  Master  whom  you  serve, 
and  injure  the  cause  that  you  love,  and  frustrate  the 
very  ends  that  might  prompt  or  tempt  your  benevo- 
lence, in  any  instance,  to  utter  or  to  sanction  it. 

3.  For  reasons  similar  to  those  just  stated,  it  seems 
not  justifiable  that  the  '  orthodox''  should  he  sanc- 
tioned in  their  severities  against  their  brethren  of 
the  other  party.  Into  the  merits  of  their  contro- 
versies I  have  no  mind  to  enter,  referring  to  princi- 
ples alone  in  these  animadversions.  I  ask  the 
*  orthodox '  the  following  questions  :  Do  you  see 
the  errors  of  the  other  party  \  Do  you  lament  them  \ 
Do  you  feel,  in  their  case,  the  criminality  of  religious 
error  \  Do  you  wish  to  correct  and  reclaim  them  X 
Well !  I  admit  that  you  do.  But  have  a  care  how 
you  carry  it  toward  them.  Are  yourselves  much  bet- 
ter, when  you  tell  them  doctrinally  that  their  inward 
light  (this  is  no  fetch  or  perversion)  is  paramount 
to  the  book  of  their  reputed  scorn !  that  the  Bible 
is  not  THE  WORD  OF  GoD  !  that  the  Holy  Scriptures 
amount  only  to  a  "  secondary  rule,"  and  ought  to 
be  so  "  esteemed !"  and  that  Fox  (to  say  nothing 
of  THOUSANDS  of  Others)  was  truly  inspired,  accord- 


79 


ing  to  his  towering  pretensions  !  You  had  better  be 
cleaner  yourselves,  before  you  count  their  spots. 
You  had  better  study  self-knowledge  more  impar- 
tially, before  you  "  throw  the  first  stone  "  at  th6m. 
In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  my  glorious  Master 
and  Redeemer,  I  am  not  at  all  afraid  to  say  to  you, 
Repent  of  your  cardinal  heresy,  and  accept  the  word 
of  God  as  YOUR  highest  rule  in  religion!  In 
vain  do  you  vend  your  inspired  argumentation 
against  them ;  they  can  answer  you  with  arguments 
equally  inspired.  You  will  only  break  down  one 
another,  without  building  up  any  one  in  the  "  most 
holy  faith"  of  christians.  You  have  helped  to  take 
from  them  both  the  fulcrum  and  the  lever,  without 
which  all  attempts  to  elevate  their  views  are  vain. 
Like  task-masters  of  old,  you  take  away  straw,  and 
demand  the  "  full  tale  "  of  brick.  They  will  never  be 
rectified,  nor  you  either,  till  you  both  renounce  to- 
gether, or  that  party  that  shall  be  so  rectified,  your 
mysticising  heresy  of  interior  light  and  your  conse- 
quent degradation  of  the  word  of  God — a  heresy 
in  which  there  is,  alas  !  quite  too  little  to  choose  be- 
tween you.    But,  I  have  more  to  say  on  the  schism. 

4.  There  may  he  such  an  unceremonious  denounc- 
ing of  the  other  party,  as  the  lower  and  the  more 
erroneous,  as  really  to  do  injustice  to  some  of  their 
better  characteristics ;  regarding  the  men,  rather 
than  their  wrong  opinions,  in  this  palliative  re- 
flection. That  some  of  them  are  very  honest,  and 
possessed  of  much  moral  courage  of  a  certain  sort, 
must  be  admitted.  Their  very  confessions  of  infi- 
delity are  honorable,  rather  than  covert  hypocrisy. 


80 


Any  thing  but  a  hooded  villain — a  concealed  and 
sanctimonious  hypocrite  in  the  church!  There  is 
always  more  hope  of  the  conversion  of  an  infidel, 
that  knovirs  himself  such,  than  of  a  false  pretender 
who  mistakes  himself  for  a  genuine  worshipper.  A 
man  had  better,  with  respect  to  the  hopefulness  of 
his  conversion  to  Christ,  have  no  religion  than  a  false 
one  ;  had  better  know  himself  a  foe,  than  mistake 
himself  a  friend.  "  Be  not  deceived  :  God  is  not 
mocked."  Till  deceit  can  throw  its  veil  of  mid- 
night over  the  eye-sight  of  Omniscience,  its  prac- 
tisings,  however  ingenious,  will  be  utterly  vain. 
They  may  ruin  and  deceive  their  possessor  alone. 
If  to  say  this  be  uncourtly — I  am  acting  for  the  court 
of  heaven. 

The  grand  rallying  sentiment  of  the  party  now 
in  question,  has  been  that  of  their  great  champion — 
whose  name  is  now  burnt  into  them  as  Hicksites :  No 

MAN  CAN  BELIEVE  WHAT  HE  DOES  NOT  UNDERSTAND. 

It  is  not  with  him  original,  as  you  well  know :  nor  is 
the  controversy  novel  that  depends  upon  it.  It  affects 
every  truth  and  every  heresy  ;  it  belongs  to  some 
very  interesting  discussions  in  intellectual  philoso- 
phy ;  and  it  deserves  to  be  well  considered  for  the 
sake  of  all  men.  It  is  a  matter  that  actually  enters 
into  the  experience  in  some  way  of  every  thinking 
christian,  and  of  every  doubting  sinner.  And  I  con- 
fess that  it  has  elicited  my  compassion,  when  I 
have  witnessed  the  hopeless  contests,  especially  of 
Friends,  in  regard  to  it.  That  there  is  some  truth  in 
it,  which  of  you,  dear  sirs,  will  question  1  How  then 
ought  the  difficulty  to  be  resolved  1  How  does  it 


81 


affect  our  moral  relations  to  the  mysteries  of  the  gos- 
gel  1  How  does  it  consist  with  the  criminaUty  of 
error  and  the  obhgations  of  faith  l 

As  I  have  not  lately  first  considered  the  subject, 
and  have  my  own  way  of  resolving  it,  in  which  how- 
ever I  am  neither  solitary  nor  original,  I  hope  it  will 
little  startle  you  when  I  say — that  the  position  is 
NOT  MORE  SWEEPING  THAN  TRUE  ;  in  my  judgment. 
I  repeat  the  averment — No  man  can  believe  what 
HE  DOES  NOT  UNDERSTAND.  I  extend  it  to  religion 
and  every  thing  else ;  but  prefer  the  apophthegm 
that  faith  and  intelligence  must  he  commensurate,  at 
least  in  this  respect,  that  faith  can  go  no  farther 
than  intelligence,  though  intelligence  may  go  farther 
than  faith. 

To  me  it  does  not  appear  where  there  is  either 
fallacy  or  peril  in  the  proper  import  and  use  of  this 
position.  I  certainly  deceive  myself  greatly  or  I  un- 
derstand all  that  I  believe  on  every  subject.  Take 
that  of  "  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  for  a  high  example.  You  can 
easily  show  me  the  limit  of  intellection  on  this  topic, 
dazzling  with  its  own  effulgence.  You  can  show 
me  the  fact  revealed ;  yes,  I  believe  it,  and  I  under- 
stand the  fact  revealed  !  But  do  I  understand  the 
mode  of  it  also No,  I  do  not — nor  do  I  beheve  the 
mode  of  it,  either.  The  mode  is  no  subject  of  reve- 
lation, no  object  of  faith,  no  matter  of  intelligence. 
I  believe  that  God  is  one  in  one  sense  ;  and  three 
in  another  sense :  and  not  so  either  as  to  exclude 
the  other.  But  as  to  the  mode  or  manner  of  it,  or 
the  question,  How  is  it  sol    I  understand  nothing", 

11 


82 


I  believe  nothing,  I  read  nothing  in  the  scriptures. 
So  I  take  it  is  the  truth  with  respect  to  every  other 
matter  of  revealed  instruction.  But  1  go  farther. 
I  find  every  thing  in  the  universe,  as  related  to  my 
knowledge,  precisely  in  the  same  predicament. 
What  are  the  premises  of  natural  philosophy,  but 
facts  or  phenomena,  observed  and  classed,  defined 
and  methodized,  with  the  exactitude  of  science  1  So 
of  astronomy,  botany,  chemistry,  geology,  and  the 
whole  of  physical  science — not  alone.  But  do  not 
philosophers  understand  the  modes  of  the  facts'? 
Not  at  all.  They  understand  to  some  extent  the  re- 
lations of  the  facts  ;  and  facts  subordinate  which 
analysis  discovers :  but  still  they  know  no  more  of 
modes  than  essences.  If  this  be  true,  we  owe  it  to 
the  Hicksites,  fathers  and  brethren,  just  because 
we  owe  it  to  all  others  whom  we  can  influence  or 
assist  in  vanquishing  the  obstructions  that  intercept 
their  return  to  the  "  obedience  of  the  faith  " — from 
what  source  soever  they  result,  to  disabuse  genuine 
orthodoxy  of  the  false  metaphysics  that  have  dis- 
honored it;  to  facilitate  the  way  of  life  to  the 
faith  of  men  universally ;  and  not  to  consecrate  the 
errors  of  good  men  or  even  great  ones,  because 
some  of  them  have  gloomed  the  whole  of  Christi- 
anity by  protruding  and  aggrandizing  the  opposite 
position.  I  regard  it  as  granting  the  whole  cause 
to  the  enemy ;  as  surrendering  the  total  contro- 
versy ;  for  one  to  require,  contrary  to  the  laws  of 
mind,  a  homage  to  the  gospel  which,  for  that  reason 
if  for  no  other,  the  mind  instinctively  refuses  to 
render!  and  this,  if  I  mistake  not,  is  an  infinitely 


83 


interesting  concern  !  "  We  are  debtors  both  to  the 
Greeks  and  to  the  barbarians,  both  to  the  wise  and 
to  the  unwise ;  as  much  as  in  us  is,  to  be  ready  to 
preach  the  gospel"  to  them.  Isai.  57:  14.  Hab. 
2:2.  It  would  be  sad  for  us  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment— I  had  almost  said,  even  at  the  right  hand  of 
our  glorious  Lord,  if  he  should  there  prove  against 
us  that,  because  "  not  skilful  in  the  word  of  right- 
eousness," we  had  made  dark  what  he  had  made 
clear,  difficult  what  he  had  rendered  easy,  and  unin- 
telhgible  what  himself  had  fully  and  with  infinite 
condescension  expounded  ! 

Allow  me  here  to  relate  an  anecdote  in  point. 
I  was  once  providentially  (some  few  years  since) 
thrown  in  company  with  several  respected  persons 
of  this  unhappy  persuasion.  One  of  them,  an  edu- 
cated and  regular  physician  of  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia, remarked  that  he  would  rather  hear 
nothing  on  that  subject,  for  it  would  be  useless; 
adding,  I  am  so  certain  that  a  man  cannot  believe 
what  he  does  not  understand,  that  I  never  wish  to 
listen  to  what  confessedly  contradicts  this  principle. 
Said  I — may  I  not  say  any  thing  1  No,  was  the 
answer;  if  contradictory  to  the  position  aforesaid. 
I  replied,  but  what  if  I  avouch  the  same,  for  I  cer- 
tainly believe  it  myself!  This  greatly  surprised  him 
and  others,  I  proceeded  :  explained  some  of  the 
greatest  facts  of  revelation  in  coincidence  with  it; 
and  elicited  from  him  the  concession — I  never  heard 
any  thing  so  rational  or  convincing  in  favor  of 
your  side  of  the  question  before !  His  countenance 
changed  from  the  first  moment  he  perceived  my 


84 


meaning,  from  lightness  to  gravity.  He  always 
behaved  differently  to  me  and  to  these  topics  after- 
ward ;  and  on  his  lamented  death-bed,  besides  the 
patience  he  showed  and  the  confessions  he  made, 
he  ventured  with  trembling  to  express  a  hope  of 
redemption  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ;  wel- 
comed a  christian  minister  to  his  apartment ;  united 
with  him  in  prayer ;  and  called  Jesus  Christ  his 
Redeemer !  Forgive  me,  sirs,  for  a  tear  to  the  mem- 
ory of  my  own  dear  late  brother,  James  Cox,  M.  D. 
who  left  the  world  in  December  1831,  in  the 
35th  year  of  his  age.  The  Lord  reigns  !  He 
was  a  man  of  unsullied  character  ;  in  social  and 
professional  life  universally  respected.  In  chas- 
tity of  manners,  in  justice  of  principle,  in  decision 
of  conduct,  his  equals  were  few  and  his  admirers 
many.  And  of  his  errors — liking  them  as  little  as 
you  can,  /  can  appreciate  his  prejudices,  his  educa- 
tion, his  impediments,  his  real  ignorance  of  Chris- 
tianity !  Forgive  the  reference  and  the  episode  : — 
there  are  thousands  of  others  in  a  similar  condition. 
O  that  I  could  help  them  to  "  behold  the  Lamb  of 
God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world !"  I  would 
labor  for  their  salvation,  and  think  their  souls, 
gathered  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  best  hire  in  the  world : 
for  he  whom  such  a  motive  would  not  supremely 
influence  deserves  truly  the  epithet  of  "  hireling  "  or 
reprobate. 

In  view  of  this  noble  distinction  between  the  fact 
and  the  mode,  as  related  to  the  faith  and  the  duty 
of  men — that  is,  to  their  believing  and  practising 
"  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God  ;"  while  it 


85 


gives  a  lucid  and  legitimate  facility  above  almost 
any  other,  and  is  of  universal  applicability  ;  I  would 
say  to  Friends  of  both  parties,  that  it  w^ill  leave 
them  "  without  excuse"  if,  upon  whatever  pretence, 
they  refuse  that  gospel.  The  end  for  which  the 
gospel  was  written,  is  that  for  which  the  whole 
volume  of  inspiration  was  written.  It  is  not  to  in- 
form us  of  "  a  superior  rule"  within  us — which  it 
behoved  to  do,  if  any  such  thing  exists ;  and  so  at 
once  to  nullify  its  utility  and  condemn  its  copious- 
ness ;  for  who  could  want  such  a  massive  volume, 
as  a  mere  index-finger  to  the  inward  light — and 
then  afterward  need  the  more  voluminous  writings, 
equally  inspired,  of  Friends,  as  a  supplemental  ap- 
pendix to  its  contents  1  The  design  of  the  scriptures, 
of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  pervading  subject-theme 
from  first  to  last,  is  plainly  declared  to  us  :  "  These 
are  written  THAT  YE  MIGHT  BELIEVE  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  vGod ;  and  that, 
believing,  ye  might  have  life  through  his  name." 
Hence  the  whole  scriptures  are  said  to  be  "  made 

KNOWN    TO   ALL   NATIONS    FOR  THE   OBEDIENCE  OF 

FAITH."  To  believe,  is  to  obey ;  for  God  commands 
us  to  believe.  Mark,  1  :  15.  1  John,  3  :  23.  The 
design  of  revelation  then,  and  of  inspiration  as  the 
way  of  revelation,  is  to  disclose  to  us  the  lessons  of 
truth  which  we  are  required  to  learn  ;  the  doctrines 
of  God,  which  we  are  obligated  to  receive ;  and  the 
duties  of  wisdom,  happiness,  and  salvation,  which  we 
are  privileged  and  commanded  to  perform.  And  all 
this  under  the  sanction  of — life  or  death  eternal! 
Jesus  Christ  has  plainly  suspended  our  destiny  on 


86 


this  single  point — whether  we  cordially  embrace  the 
gospel  or  not!  Mark,  16  :  15,  16.  And  what  shall 
we  say  to  him,  in  the  day  of  judgment,  if  then  we 
are  revealed  to  have  been  spiritual  infidels ;  what- 
ever we  professed  to  be,  or  perhaps  thought  our- 
selves here,  or  whatever  other  frail  mortals  thought 
and  said  of  us  \  Shall  Ave  say.  Lord,  how  can  a  man 
believe  what  he  cannot  understand  \  He  may  an- 
swer— I  revealed  facts,  realities,  things  that  are,  and 
those  at  once  the  most  important  for  me  to  disclose, 
and  for  you  to  embrace :  I  revealed  them  in  human 
language ;  fully,  intelligibly,  appositely,  and  required 
the  universal  assent  of  the  understanding,  and  con- 
sent of  the  heart,  to  their  supreme  excellency.  The 
mode  of  them  I  neither  revealed,  nor  required  you 
to  believe,  more  than  to  understand  or  cavil  about. 
I  offered  you  salvation  in  those  things ;  I  offered  it 
practicably,  sincerely,  universally :  and  ye  would  not ! 
Ye  loved  your  own  superstition  and  tradition,  moj:e 
than  my  word  ;  which  you  wrested,  dishonored, 
made  void,  and  treated  at  best  as  "  a  secondary 
rule :"  Wherefore,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  fire ;"  that  same  fire  which  was  "  pre- 
pared for"  original  transgressors,  "  the  devil  and 
his  angels." 

Will  you,  superior,  and  safe  by  presumption,  scorn 
the  representation ;  and  count  it  methodistical  and 
gross  \  Then  know,  my  friends,  that  the  experi- 
ence— I  pray  it  may  never  be  yours — will  be  more 
gross  than  the  representation — more  humbling — 
more  terrible !  I  fear  that  few  of  you  ever  have  been, 
as  ALL  MEN  ought  to  be,  rationally  afraid,  of  the 


87 


"  damnation"  which  the  scriptures  reveal.  Strange 
is  the  paradox  on  this  subject,  respecting  the  doc- 
trine of  the  fact,  that  those  generally  who  seem 
least  afraid  of  the  fact  are  most  annoyed  with  the 
doctrine  ;  those  most  exposed  to  the  greater,  most 
nauseate  the  less;  those  who  can  imperturbably 
brave  damnation  for  a  whole  life-time,  are  most 
dehcately  timid  of  the  word  even  occasionally  told 
to  them. 

It  seems  impossible  for  Friends  to  distinguish 
wisely  between  the  figurative  and  the  mystical  style ; 
and  because  the  Bible  abounds  with  the  former 
though  totally  destitute  of  the  latter,  and  because 
Friends  abound  with  the  latter  even  more  than  the 
former,  they  are  perpetually  mysticising.  In  their  in- 
terpretation of  scripture  especially,  nothing  will  sa- 
tisfy them,  when  in  this  vein,  but  mystery  :  every 
figure  must  be  mystified  before  it  can  be  held  to  con- 
tain any  thing  spiritual.  This  propensity  does  infi- 
nite mischief  to  their  religion :  it  ruins  the  sober 
influence  of  scripture,  or  rather  wholly  prevents  it. 
The  best  interpreters  (and  the  best  men  are  also  meant 
by  these)  have  shown  that  mysticalness  is  no  attri- 
bute of  revelation  :  which  is  the  disclosure  of  things 
otherwise  secret,  and  the  attestation  of  things  other- 
wise uncertain.  What  God  says  is  true.  But  in 
what  he  says,  the  grand  matter  is  what  he  means. 
Meaning  is  the  soul  of  truth.  To  suppose  that 
there  is  no  sober  coincidence  between  his  words 
and  his  meaning,  or  that  his  meaning  is  unintelli- 
gible, or  recondite  beyond  all  the  laws  of  language 
to  contain,  and  all  the  fairest  laws  of  interpretation 


88 


to  evolve,  is  monstrous.  It  is  the  same  as  to  charge 
God  with  deception  and  shuffling.  It  is  a  contra- 
diction also.  For,  what  kind  of  a  revelation  is  that, 
which  purposely  obscures  what  it  professes  to  un- 
vein  Now  mysticism  is  nothing  but  double  and 
doubtful  meaning;  where  all  is  more  dark  and 
senseless,  after  the  explanation  professedly  given. 
The  facts  or  realities  revealed  in  scripture  are 
grand  ;  and  mysterious,  it  may  be,  in  the  mode  of 
their  existence.  But  as  facts  they  are  all  intelligi- 
ble, and  the  propositions  in  which  they  are  expressed 
are  all  intelligible  :  and  to  believe  the  facts  in  the 
propositions  is  properly /^:^^^/^,  and  saving  faith  also 
if  we  believe  them  icith  the  heart.  But  the  mode  of 
them,  and  the  mystery  of  them,  have  nothing  to  do 
with  faith  any  more  than  with  intelligence.  Mysti- 
cism draws  a  veil  of  its  own  weaving  over  the  open 
face  of  revelation.  What  God  reveals,  as  far  as  he 
REVEALS  it,  may  be  understood  ;  and  in  that  re- 
spect it  maybe  said  that  we  understand  all  that  we 
believe.  Thus  the  proposition  that  God  exists  is 
plain,  and  I  believe  it.  As  a  fact  it  is  intelligible, 
credible,  and  not  at  all  mysterious.  But  the  mode 
of  the  fact  is  mysterious.  How  does  he  exist'?  I 
do  not  know.  I  do  not  believe  or  preach  or  care 
any  thing  in  respect  to  the  mode  :  so  that  I  am 
wholly  without  faith,  where  I  am  also  without  know- 
ledge and  understanding,  on  the  question  how  does 
he  exist  ?  So  also  of  all  the  facts  of  revelation ; 
while  a  consistent  practical  recognition  of  this  plain 
distinction  would  answer  all  the  ends  of  faith  and 
piety,  without  any  of  the  absurdities  of  our  own 


89 


making  on  this  article,  which  are  wliolly  adverse  to 
those  ends. 

But  some  of  you  will  say ;  After  all,  your  distinc- 
tion is  of  little  consequence !  Why  l  Because  it 
sheds  too  strong  a  light  on  the  subject  1  Because 
you  hate  the  facts  revealed  1  Then  know  that  this 
is  the  quintessence  of — depravity.  You  are  the  un- 
converted children  of  the  first  Adam,  and  not  the 
converted  children  of  the  second.  To  hate  the 
facts  of  revelation — is  just  the  character  and  the 
crime  of  our  total  species,  since  the  primeval  apos- 
tacy !  it  is  that  very  fundamental  fact  which  the 
scriptures  reveal  and  which  heresy  sophisticates  ! 
the  fact  without  which  the  whole  fabric  of  the  gos- 
pel falls,  and  the  right  experimental  knowledge  of 
which  is  necessary  to  all  true  spiritual  discernment. 
The  depravity  of  man  is  his  fault,  and  not  his  mis- 
fortune. For  it  he  is  to  be  primarily  blamed,  not 
pitied.  He  is  voluntary  in  it  all.  He  never  excuses 
its  ebuUitions  in  others,  especially  when  it  injures 
him.  God  will  not  excuse  it  in  him.  And  yet  it 
is  not  peculiar  to  Friends,  but  to  the  species,  to 
deny,  conceal,  and  most  reluctantly  to  own  it.  Still, 
it  is  the  statute  of  Jehovah's  mercy  and  the  limita- 
tion of  its  sway  of  glorious  sovereignty,  that  the 
person  of  an  opposite  character,  and  he  alone,  shall 
be  pardoned  and  saved.  "  He  that  coveretli  his 
sins  shall  not  prosper :  but  whoso  confesseth  and 
forsaketh  them  shall  have  mercy."  Prov.  28  :  13. 
Friends,  however,  have  some  peculiar  ways  of 

covering "  sin  ;  and  very  few  ways  of  confessing 

12 


1 


90 

It.  In  the  "  Journal"  of  their  founder  there  are 
repeated  asseverations  of  an  ahnost  immaculate 
irinocency but  scarcely  such  a  thing  as  one  humi- 
liating confession  of  sin  in  all  the  two  octavos ! 
And  this  characteristic,  not  without  some  excep- 
tions, pervades  the  mass  of  their  writings.  They 
mystify  the  acknowledgment  of  their  depravity  ; 
throw  it  mostly  into  the  third  person  universal ;  and 
seem  much  estranged  to  the  petition  of  the  publi- 
can— especially  its  formal  allusion  to  the  atonement, 
which,  you  know,  dear  sirs,  though  unperceived  in 
our  translation,  is  a  prominent  excellence  of  the 
original.  They  speak  of  their  wickedness  as  "  a 
seed,  a  principle,  a  root,"  and  so  forth  ;  as  if  it  were 
a  physical  malady,  for  which  they  were  to  be  more 
pitied  than  periled  or  blamed,  and  not  a  mere  moral 
evil  for  which  they,  and  they  only,  are  to  blame ; — 
or,  sin  is  no  longer  sin ;  and  the  difference  between 
physical  and  moral  evil  is  no  more  to  be  discrimi- 
nated or  believed.  I  need  not  add  that  to  confound 
this  primordial  distinction,  is  to  explode  all  moral 
government ;  to  violate  the  public  sentiment  of 
mankind  ;  to  be  condemned  by  the  philosophy  of 
more  enlightened  heathenism ;  to  contradict  our 
own  moral  organization  and  consciousness  ;  to  con- 
found the  day  of  judgment  and  thp  Judge  himself! 
If  men  are  moral  agents,  absolutely  and  perfectly 
such;  if  all  their  moral  conduct,  right  and  wrong, 
is  entirely  voluntary,  and  subject  to  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Eternal  Lawgiver ;  if  their  responsibility  is 
necessary  and  entire  ;  if  they  can  disbelieve  the 
gospel,  only  by  neglecting  it,  perverting  it,  avoiding 


91 


it,  contradicting  it,  and  sophisticating  it,  or  opposing 
it  with  resolute  antipathy ;  if  their  impenitence  or 
unbehef  or  heresy  is  all  the  acting  of  moral  wick- 
edness, "  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief  in  departing 
from  the  living  God  "  so  that  they  become  "  hard- 
ened through  the  deceitfulness  of  sinf^  if  the  cause 
is  faulty,  criminal,  "  exceeding  sinful ;"  if  their  im- 
piety and  consequent  perdition  (should  they  die  as 
they  live — which  is  probable)  results  from  a  faulty 
cause  alone,  and  is  itself  essentially  criminal  and 
blame-worthy  in  the  moral  estimate  of  God  ;  if  their 
alienation  is  voluntary  as  well  as  habitual,  and  guilty 
as  well  as  ordinarily  invincible ;  if  it  result  not  from 
want  of  capacity  to  be  accountable,  nor  evidence 
quite  sufficient  to  convince,  nor  provision  amply 
made  in  Christ  for  their  redemption,  nor  the  free 
and  importunate  offer  of  a  full  salvation,  nor  the 
stirrings  and  remonstrances  of  "  the  Spirit  and  the 
Bride"  that  "  say.  Come ;"  and  these  premises  are 
all  true  and  demonstrable,  I  am  sure :  then  it  fol- 
lows— but,  I  am  overwhelmed  ! ! — "  Where  shall 
the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  1  What  shall 
THE  END  BE  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of 
God  1"  I  hear  the  irrevocable  sentence,  "  Ye  shall 
die  in  your  sins,  and  where  I  am  ye  cannot  come  !" 
So  they  must  die,  if  so  they  continue  to  live.  To 
warn  them  as  they  go,  and  to  warn  them  as  "  pri- 
soners of  hope,"  is  a  strong  and  a  mighty  incentive 
with  me  in  this  publication. 

Of  the  one  party  it  is  a  favorite  excuse  that  there 
are  so  many  mysteries  in  scriptural  theology.  What 
if  there  are  \  They  arc  all  parts  of  the  great  mys- 


92 


tery  of  godliness  " — and  the  alternative  of  "  godli- 
ness" is  "hell-fire!"  But  what  mystery  is  there, 
the  fact  of  which,  in  appropriate  propositions,  a  man 
cannot  both  understand  and  believe  1  I  know  of  no 
such  mystery  in  the  scriptures ;  and  should  like  to 
have  one  discretely  pointed  out  to  me.  To  some 
it  will  appear  that  the  word  and  the  idea  of  mystery 
is  fatal  to  the  validity  of  the  distinction  between 
the  fact  and  the  mode :  because,  if  the  distinction 
be  valid,  all  mystery  is  precluded ;  and  the  objects 
of  faith  may  be,  and  indeed  are  all  molded  into 
rational  and  intelligible  propositions  ;  and  so  en- 
tirely denuded  of  mystery.  The  difficulty  results 
from  confounding  two  different  senses  in  which  the 
word  mystery  is  used  ;  and  from  misconceiving  its 
scriptural  sense.  If  this  is  correct,  I  am  sure  it 
is  so  important  as  to  be  worth  reading  "  in  season 
and  out  of  season."  The  first  may  be  called  the 
metaphysical  and  popular  or  colloquial  sense — for 
they  are  the  same ;  and  its  definition  is,  That  which 
is  essentially  incomprehensible  or  inconceivably  supe- 
rior to  our  mental  perceptions,  so  as  seemingly  to 
violate  the  laws  of  evidence  and  the  possibility  of 
intelligence.  The  other  is  simply,  A  secret ;  a 
thing  previously  and  inscrutably  unknown,  till  dis- 
closed by  authetitic  evidence.  This  last  is  the  scrip- 
tural sense  ;  and  not  the  other.  The  word  mystery, 
singular  and  plural,  occurs  near  thirty  times  in  the 
New  (7iot  once  in  the  Old)  Testament.  But  I  can- 
not find  a  solitary  instance  where  it  means  any  thing 
but  a  secret ;  not  to  be  discovered  indeed  by  human 
penetration  j  but,  being  '  revealed  '  to  the  holy  apos- 


93 


lies  for  our  profit  and  their  own,  both  credible  and 
intelligible  as  any  other  fact :  "  according  to  the 
revelation  of  the  mystery  (the  disclosure  of  the 
fact)  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began, 

but  NOW  IS  MADE  MANIFEST,  and  BY  THE  SCRIPTURES 
OF  THE  PROPHETS,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  COMMAND- 
MENT OF  THE  EVERLASTING  GoD,  MADE  KNOWN  TO 
ALL  NATIONS  FOR  THE  OBEDIENCE  OF  FAITH."  Rom. 

16  :  25, 26.   No  inward  light  here. 

The  only  text  which  might  seem  as  an  excep- 
tion, and  which  as  such,  has  been  not  infrequently 
quoted,  will  be  found  on  examination  to  be  rather  a 
more  illustrious  example.  Permit  me  to  quote  it  as 
it  is  not  (though  it  ought  to  be)  translated  in  our 
Bible.  1  Tim.  3  :  16.  "  The  pillar  and  ground  of 
the  truth — and  without  controversy  great  is  the 
mystery  of  godliness — is  this :  God  was  manifested 
in  human  nature  ;  vindicated  by  the  Spirit ;  beheld 
by  angels ;  preached  unto  the  nations ;  accredited 
in  the  world  ;  received  again  to  glory."  In  our  ver- 
sion, the  first  clause  is  put  in  apposition  with  "  the 
church  of  the  living  God  ;"  making  the  church  the 
foundation  of  the  truth,  when  plainly  it  is  only  the 
superstructure.  "  For  other  foundation  can  no  man 
lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus,  the  Christ." 
As  we  have  it,  it  becomes  a  kind  of  apotheosis  of 
"  the  church ;"  which  would  suit  Rome  rather  than 
a  protestant  community.  The  false  rendering,  here 
and  elsewhere,  has  often  helped  their  error.  Rom. 
11  :  18.  As  it  is  rendered  above,  however,  it  gives, 
I  am  persuaded,  the  very  sense  of  the  original. 
The  INCARNATION  OF  Jesus  Christ  and  the  grand 


94 


AFFECTIONS  OF  HIS  HISTORY ;  is  declared  to  be  the 
great  secret  of  godliness,  which  the  scriptures  re- 
veal ;  the  substantial  theme  of  their  total  testimony ; 
the  illustrious  fundamental  of  true  religion ;  the 
body  and  soul  of  inspired  theology ;  the  centre  of 
the  circle ;  the  sun  of  the  dependent  system  ;  *'  the 
pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth."  The  mystery  is 
given  in  its  parts  ;  each  constituent  proposition  is 
a  plainly  intelligible  fact  and  equally  a  credible  one; 
the  secret  is  divulged,  each  part  and  the  whole :  to 
believe  it  is  the  way  and  the  manner  of  "  godli- 
ness." Wo  be  to  "  the  mystery  of  iniquity"  that 
rejects  it,  and  seeks  for  a  safer  foundation  !  And 
wo  be  to  the  sorcery  that  sophisticates  its  truth,  or 
mystifies  the  facilities  of  faith  in  its  august  and 
most  salutary  disclosures  !  Spiritual  sorcery  is  the 
worst  sorcery  in  the  world.  The  greatest  and  most 
confounding  mystery  that  I  know,  is — the  despera- 
tion of  voluntary  and  obstinate  impiety !  the  indo- 
lence, presumption,  and  fool-hardiness,  of  irreli- 
gious men! 

One  observation  more  in  respect  to  the  schism. 
5.  It  has  been  made  with  both  parties  a  capital 
question,  and  one  of  conflicting  and  exclusive 
claims  ;  which  of  them  approaches  more  to  the  stand- 
ard of  primitive  Quakerism,  or  rather  which  party 
identically  constitutes  the  society''"'  in  this  country, 
as  the  proper  counterparts  or  the  genuine  successors 
of  the  foxian  Friends.  It  were  perhaps  a  more 
correct  account  to  say  that  neither  party  has  made 
it  a  question  at  all.  Either  arrogates  the  honor 
and  denies  it  to  the  other :  and  which  is  right 


95 


Giammalici  certant ;  et  adhuc  sub  judice  lis  est. — IIoR, 

A  quarrel  'tis,  where  sages  disagree 
And  vainly  strive  to  solve  the  mystery. 

Inspiration,  however  oraculous,  is  of  little  avail; 
because  it  can  be  so  soon  counteracted  with  oppo- 
site inspiration.  Here  "  Greek  meets  Greek  ;" 
and  when  "  the  tug  of  war  "  will  end,  or  on  whose 
standard  the  eagles  of  victory  will  perch,  is  a  ques- 
tion for  prognosticators.  My  own  opinion  is  two- 
fold :  (1)  That  either  party  can  perhaps  equally 
prove  their  positions  from  Fox,  llarclay  and  others. 
I  know  of  no  latitude  of  mysticising  or  heresy  to 
which  the  Hicksites  have  gone,  for  which  precedent 
of  the  primitive  sort  may  not  be  cited  from  their 
books  :  nor  any  summit  of  orthodoxy  to  which  their 
more  intelligent  rivals  have  advanced,  for  which  I 
have  not  myself  perused  the  sanction  of  the  same 
authority.  This  is  my  full  conviction :  and  I  would 
burden  this  long  chapter  with  ample  quotations 
in  point,  did  I  conceive  it  of  any  adequate  impor- 
tance. Their  respective  publications  however  sus- 
tain the  assertion.  But,  convinced  more  powerfully 
that  they  are  all  wrong  together ;  that  there  is  error 
enough  among  the  best  of  them  to  annul  their  visi- 
bility as  christian  professors,  and  fix  them  with 
the  fanatical  corrupters  of  the  truth  of  God — all  of 
them,  as  long  as  they  remain  voluntarily  in  their 
not-half-reformed  imbecility ;  my  opinion  is  (2) 
That  the  care  they  take,  and  the  pains  they  are  at, 
to  make  out  their  exclusive  title  to  primitive  Friend - 
ism,  is  a  demonstration  of  their  childishness  and 


96 


vacuity  :  a  question  not  worth  settling  ;  and  which 
"it  argueth,"  as  Bacon  says  of  such  disputes, 
"  more  real  subtlety  to  despise  than  consider."  I  in- 
stance it  as  a  proof  of  their  real  puerility.  It  shows 
also  at  what  they  are  aiming — not  at  heaven,  but 
earth  ;  not  at  proficiency,  but  retrogradation ;  not 
to  be  christians,  but  Friends !  This  is  the  truth  of 
the  matter,  and  the  sum  of  it.  Has  God  promised 
salvation  to  their  attainments,  even  should  they  suc- 
ceed in  making  them  ?  In  some  respects  they  seem 
as  completely  abandoned  of  the  temper  of  logical 
candor  and  honest  susceptibility  to  evidence,  as  the 
Jews  themselves ;  of  whom  says  the  apostle,  with 
some  terrific  parallelism ;  they  "  both  killed  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  their  own  prophets,  and  have  per- 
secuted us  :  and  they  please  not  God  and  are  con- 
trary to  all  men ;  forbidding  us  to  speak  to  the 
Gentiles  that  they  might  be  saved,  to  fill  up  their  sins 
always ;  for  the  wrath  is  come  upon  them  to  the 
uttermost."  1  Thess.  2  :  15,  16.  The  infatuation 
of  men,  we  know,  is  often  judicial  and  desperate  : 
"  that  they  all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not 
the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness." 
2  Thess.  2  :  10-12.  I  hope  in  God  for  better  things 
in  store  for  some  of  them  ! 

I  will  here  state  numerically  some  reasons  why 
the  ecclesiastical  visibihty  of  the  '  orthodox  '  or  of 
Friends  universally,  as  a  christian  church,  cannot 
be  recognised  by  the  churches  of  Christ.  (1)  They 
do  not  even  profess  to  be  a  christian  church — 
they  are  only  "  the  religious  society  of  Friends." 
Their  body  too  is  composed  mainly  of  birth-right 


97 


meiiibers,  those  who  from  the  birth  have  been  lull 
and  entire  members  without  any  confession  or  cove- 
nanting of  their  own  :  while  fcio  unite  with  them 
on  "convincement."  They  used  to  be  called  "seek- 
ers "  at  first.  (2)  They  deny  "  the  holy  scriptures  " 
to  be  THE  WORD  OF  GoD.  (3)  They  deny  them  to 
be  THE  PRIMARY  RULE  of  rcHgious  action ;  declar- 
ing them  to  be  properly  "  esteemed  "  only  as  "  a 
secondary  rule."  (4)  They  declare  that  every  hu- 
man being  has  something  "within  "  him,  which  is 
by  way  of  eminence  his  highest  and  the  primary 
rule,  all-sufficient  for  duty  and  salvation.  (5)  They 
expressly  affirm  this  internal  rule  to  be  superior 
to  the  scriptures  ;  and  they  walk  by  the  greater 
and  not  by  the  less.  (6)  Their  confession  of  the 
revealed  doctrine  of  the  godhead  is  equivocal, 
Sabellian,  and  adverse,  exjjressly  adverse,  to  the 
tri-personal  nature  of  God.  (7)  They  deny  in 
theory  and  practice  the  christian  sacraments, 
positively  deny  them — though  these  are  the  con- 
stituted signals  of  visibility,  putting  the  paternal 
name  on  all  the  children  of  the  visible  covenant 
family  of  God.  (8)  They  have  no  such  thing  as  a 
proper  christian  ministry,  of  cither  sex,  among 
them.  (9)  They  do  not  believe  in  the  resurrec- 
tion OF  THE  body;  and  they  "overthrow  the  faith 
of"  many  in  this  prime  article  of  the  creed  of  chris- 
tians. (10)  They  give  no  proof  of  honoring  or 
achieving  those  great  ends  for  which  mainly  the 
visibility  and  organization  of  christian  churches  exist 
on  the  earth : — such  as  maintaining  the  pure  confes- 
sion of  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  ;"  the  true  wor- 

13 


98 


SHIP  of  God,  according  to  his  word ;  the  diffusioi^ 
of  evangelical  influence  ;  the  propagation  of  genu- 
ine CHRISTIANITY  through  the  world  ;  the  constant 
AND  CLEAR  OFFER  OF  SALVATION,  with  all  the  proper 
facilities  for  obtaining  it,  to  every  individual  that 
has  capacities  to  heed  and  accept ;  and  the  mu- 
tual EDIFICATION  OF  BELIEVERS  in  "  the  faith  of 
God's  elect,  and  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth 
which  is  after  godliness,  in  hope  of  eternal  life, 
which  God,  that  cannot  lie,  promised  before  the 
world  began,  but  hath  in  due  times  manifested  hi» 
word  THROUGH  PREACHING,  which  is  committed  "  to 
competent  men,  "  according  to  the  commandment 
of  God  our  Savior."  Tit.  1 :  2, 3.  (11)  They  funda- 
mentally VITIATE  THE  WORSHIP  OF  GoD,  render- 
ing it  visionary,  mystical,  impracticable  :  a  system 
of  refined  will-worship  and  schismatical  folly.  See 
synopsis  infra,  Art.  21  and  note.  (12)  They  have 

DISTINCTIVE  MARKS  ONLY  AS  HERETICS  AND  MYSTICS 

AND  SECTARIANS  ;  NONE  of  a  christian  church.  (13) 
They  excommunicate  and  denounce  all  visible 

CHRISTIAN  churches,  RECIPROCATING  NO  RECOGNI- 
TION WITH  THEM,  and  preferring  their  own  way 
with  jure  divino  et  exclusivo  claims  to  be  themselves 
the  only  authorized  religionists  and  genuine  worship- 
pers in  the  world.  (14)  They  are  doing  nothing 
VISIBLY  for  the  conversion  of  the  world  to  Christ. 
(15)  They  will  have  to  be  entirely  superseded 
before  the  millennium  ;  as  one  of  the  real  obstacles 
that  retard  its  advent.  (16)  I  know  not  what  body 
OF  perverted  religionists  we  may  not  recog- 
nise, if  we  may  them ;  nor  on  what  principle 


99 


of  evangelical  truth  and  order,  we  could  possibly 
proceed  in  such  recognition ;  nor  what  piety  we 
ever  promote  by  lowering  the  standard  or  by  throw- 
ing it  away.  2  John,  7-11.  Rev.  2:  2,9.  3:  9,22. 

(17)  They  are  not  orthodox.  The  word  is  only  a 
caricature  as  applied  to  them  ;  and  is  just,  only  as 
discriminating  them  in  contrast  with  the  most  ex- 
travagant and  virulent  specimens  of  infidel  error. 

(18)  Such  recognition  would  only  injure  them — ■ 
I  mean  their  ultimate  interests,  not  their  present 
feelings.  (19)  They  are  to  blame  before  God, 
and  they  alone,  in  the  extant  light  and  state  of 
things,  for  not  being  recognised.  It  is  wholly  their 
own  fault.  Let  them  change,  and  be  wise  and 
sound  and  thorough  in  christian  principle ;  then 
they  will  be  owned  "  by  the  whole  family  in  heaven 
and  earth,"  and  by  the  Father.  (20)  To  recognise 
A  community  in  this  superlative  relation  is  solemn 
business.  The  laws  of  courtesy  and  kind  neighbor- 
hood have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  We  have  no  right 
to  consult  social  feelings,  or  any  other  feelings.  We 
must  proceed  according  to  principle,  truth,  scripture. 
No  discretion  is  committed  tons  by  the  Great  Head  of 
the  church,  in  the  way  of  making  or  changing  or  va- 
cating the  laws  that  govern  the  case,  and  for  which 
the  responsibility  is  not  ours.  Let  those  who  dissent 
from  these  positions,  show  that  they  are  unscriptu- 
ral ;  or  censure  the  Lawgiver ;  or  expect  no  notice 
from  the  officers  of  Christ,  whatever  they  say  in 
controversy. 

Some  of  these  reasons  may  partially  imply  each 
other ;  still,  a  correct  expose  required  the  different 


100 


aspects  of  the  matter  to  be  seen.  The  true  way 
to  determine  the  question  is — 1.  To  consider  the 
*  orthodox '  absohitely,  as  though  Hicksites  were 
not ;  allowing  no  partial  or  j^t^fty  influences  to  affect 
us.  2.  To  ascertain  what  they  believe  and  profess, 
the  whole  of  it,  and  the  necessary  implications  of 
their  system.  3.  To  compare  the  result  with  the 
revealed  criterion,  fully,  impartially,  clearly.  4.  To 
decide,  first,  for  eternity — and  then,  for  time  !  But 
many  a  sentence  will  proceed,  no  doubt,  from  many 
a  person  that  is  no  judge. 

Friends  will  probably  think  I  have  forgotten  the 
exhortation — "  endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of 
THE  SPIRIT  in  the  bond  of  peace."  Eph.  4  :  3.  Here 
they  are  again  at  fault.  They  ordinarily  mistake 
wholly  the  meaning  of  the  duty  and  the  sense  of 
the  phrase.  Read  verses  1-6  of  the  context.  They 
are  all  addressed  to  the  church ;  that  had  one  bap- 
tism., as  I  suppose  all  christians  have,  (visibly  such,) 
who  have  been  baptized  into  one  name — that  "  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
For,  THE  UNITY  OP  THE  NAME  to  wliich  it  visibly 
devotes  us,  I  take  to  be  the  true  criterion  of  the 
unity  of  baptism.  Friends  have  never  been  bap- 
tized, in  the  sense  of  scripture,  at  all !  Besides, 
"  the  unity  of  the  Spirit "  means — the  consistency 
AND  identity  OF  ALL  HIS  INSPIRATIONS  :  all  are  one ; 
a  unit  of  harmonies,  not  a  multiple  of  contradic- 
tions. It  is  objective,  not  subjective.  Essentially, 
our  feelings  toicard  each  other  have  nothing  to  do 
with  it.  Friends  may  feel  unity  toward  each  other, 
and  toward  good  people  of  other  denominations, 


101 


and  yet  have  the  Spirit,  or  know  his  unity,  not  at 
all !  All  his  influences  are  like  each  other  and  like 
ITiM — and  hence  we  ought  to  conform  to  his  truth 
and  "  endeavor  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit"  as 
displayed  in  all  his  ways. 

The  "  Journal"  of  George  Fox  is  indeed  a  cu- 
riosity. He  was  from  his  early  youth  an  eccentric 
and  extraordinary  character.  While  yet  in  his  teens 
it  was  remarked  of  him,  he  says,  "  If  George  says 
verily,  there  is  no  altering  him."  Vol.  I,  p.  84. 
Here  was  the  identical  germe  in  the  acorn,  I  take 
it,  whence  sprang  the  great  oak  and  its  umbrage. 
In  reference  to  the  old  shoemaker  with  whom  he 
served,  he  writes ;  "  While  I  was  with  him  he  was 
blest,  but  after  I  left  him  he  broke  and  came  to 
nothing."  Ibid.  He  adds,  p.  85,  The  Lord  "  said 
unto  me ;  CC/^Thou  seest  how  young  people  go  toge- 
ther into  vanity,  and  old  people  into  the  earth  ;  thou 
must  forsake  all,  young  and  old,  keep  out  of  all, 
and  be  as  a  stranger  unto  all."  It  was  now  that  his 
famous  "  openings"  began.  God,  he  continually 
says,  told  him  this,  that,  and  the  other,  totidem 
verbis  ; just  as  his  old  master,  I  suppose,  was  wont 
to  do.  Of  one  of  those  favored  occasions,  he  writes, 
"  I  saw  there  was  a  great  crack  to  go  throughout 
the  earth,  and  a  great  smoke  to  go  as  the  crack 
went,  and  that  after  the  crack  there  should  be  a 
great  shaking.  This  was  the  earth  in  people's 
hearts,  which  was  to  be  shaken  before  the  seed  of 
God  was  raised  out  of  the  earth."  p.  100.  He  was 
at  this  time  in  doubt  about  which  of  the  learned 
professions  he  should  select.    He  was  determined, 


102 


however,  by  an  "  opening ;"  as  follows :  "  The  cre- 
ation was  open  to  me  ;  and  it  was  showed  me,  how 
all  things  had  their  names  given  them,  according  to 
their  nature  and  virtue.  I  was  at  a  stand  in  my 
mind,  whether  I  should  practise  physic  for  the  good 
of  mankind,  seeing  the  nature  and  virtues  of  the 
creatures  were  so  opened  to  me  by  the  Lord." 
P.  104.  One  might  almost  regret  that  he  had  not 
selected  the  profession  of  medicine,  since  all  its  ' 
departments  were  so  opened  to  him  !  In  botany, 
pharmacy,  materia  medica,  pathology,  and  progno- 
sis, modern  improvements  had  been  anticipated  ; 
Sydenham  and  Rush  and  other  lights  as  certainly 
precluded  !  A  learned  physician  once  said  to  me, 
"  You  preachers  have  the  advantage  of  us ;  our 
science  involves  such  uncertainty :  we  have  no  ora- 
cles of  medicine,  no  Bibles  of  practice."  True — 
but  how  near  they  came  on  one  occasion  to  realizing 
such  a  desideratum !  What  discoveries  in  physical 
science  had  been  the  consequence  !  We  need  not 
have  waited  for  the  experiments  of  Sir  Humphrey 
Davy  to  demonstrate  the  non-entity  of  phlogiston ; 
or  for  Cuvier  to  set  the  world  right  about  geological 
strata  and  the  cosmogony  of  Moses.  It  is  a  fact, 
however,  that  many  very  respectable  physicians  of 
the  society,  who  profess  to  believe,  pugnis  et  calci- 
bus for  ought  I  know,  in  the  inspiration  of  George, 
have  sustained  a  very  useful  and  honorable  place 
among  "  the  professors  of  the  healing  art ;"  with- 
out possessing  one  iota  of  such  extraordinary  "  open- 
ings" or  any  science  sublimated  above  common 
comprehension.    In  fact  the  medical  profession  is 


103 


a  favorite  resort  of  intellectual  gentlemen  of  the 
society ;  and  many  of  them  in  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia have  I  known,  and  honored,  as  have  thousands 
of  others,  since  the  commencement  of  the  present 
century.  Some  of  them  are  men  of  eminence — to 
whom  I  would  propound  the  dilemma:  If  the  foun- 
der of  your  sect  was  not  inspired,  most  surely  he 
was  a  deluded  and  well  nigh  a  delirious  fanatic  : 
a  case  possibly  of  mania  connected  with  some  clas- 
sifications known  to  your  science.  But  if  he  was 
not  so  merged  in  hallucination  ;  if  he  was  truly  in- 
spired ;  then  you  ought,  gentlemen,  to  know  or  to 
remember  that  you  are  all  in  the  same  awful  con- 
demnation with  the  clergy  and  the  bar ;  for  George 
had  an  "  opening"  on  the  subject,  that  is  quite  con- 
clusive equally  against  the  incumbents  of  the  three 
professions.  They  are  all  in  the  same  category ; 
their  professions  are  all  in  a  common  dishonor : — 
and  I  call  on  you,  by  all  your  sincerity  and  by  all 
your  consistency,  as  Friends,  to  repent  of  this  your 
wickedness,  in  presuming  to  go  to  school  to  learned 
lecturers  instead  of  the  inward  light  which  shines 
in  you;  a  light  that  is  grieved  at  your  carnalities  of 
that  sort,  and  is  so  clear  that  fools  can  see  it.  Lis- 
ten then  to  your  indictment  and  your  sentence, 
gentlemen !  "  I  went  to  Clauson  in  Leicestershire, 
in  the  vale  of  Beavor ;  and  the  mighty  power  of 
God  appeared  there  also,  in  several  towns  and  vil- 
lages where  Friends  were  gathered.  While  I  was 
there,  the  Lord  opened  to  me  three  things,  relating 
to  those  three  great  professions  in  the  world,  law, 
physic,  and  divinity,  (so  called.)    He  showed  me. 


104 


that  the  physicians  were  out  of  the  wisdom  of  God, 
by  which  the  creatures  were  made  ;  and  knew  not 
the  virtues  of  the  creatures,  because  they  were  out 
of  the  Word  of  wisdom,  by  which  they  were  made." 
Of  the  j)riests  and  lawyers  he  had  openings  in  the 
same  unity :  when  he  sums  up  the  matter  thus  ; 
"  And  that  these  three,  the  physicians,  the  priests, 
and  the  lawyers,  ruled  the  world  out  of  the  wisdom, 
out  of  the  faith,  and  out  of  the  equity  and  law  of 
God  ;  the  one  pretending  the  cure  of  the  body,  the 
other  the  cure  of  the  soul,  and  the  third  the  protec- 
tion of  the  property  of  the  people."  He  then  pro- 
ceeds to  show  that  "  all  might  be  reformed  :"  and 
by  what  process  1  Truly,  this  Reformer  had  a  unit, 
a  catholicon,  unum  pro  univcrsis,  which  we  might 
anticipate.  It  was  "the  light!"  p.  106.  But  how 
impiously  scientific  some  medical  gentlemen  of  the 
society  remain  to  this  day  ! 

With  respect  to  his  miracles,  instead  of  enlarging 
on  their  history  or  nature,  I  will  just  transcribe  the 
article  in  the  "  Index"  to  the  second  volume  under 
that  head ;  where  we  may  see  a  summation  of  them 
as  received  by  Friends  in  this  our  day !  Is  it  the 
nineteenth  century — or  the  ninth  ! 

"  Miracles  wrought  by  the  power  of  God,  I.  297  ; 
she  that  was  ready  to  die  raised  up  again,  I.  301 ; 
tlie  lame  made  whole,  I.  214 ;  the  diseased  restored, 
II.  208;  a  distracted  woman  healed,  I.  117.  See 
trouble  of  mind  ;  a  great  man  given  over  by  physi- 
cians restored,  I.  121 ;  G.  F.  prays  for  a  distracted 
woman  at  Chichester,  I.  303;  restores  J.  Jay's  neck, 
broke  (as  the  people  said)  by  a  fall  from  a  horse  in 


105 


East- Jersey,  II.  161 ;  speaks  to  a  sick  man  in  Ma- 
ryland, who  was  raised  up  by  the  Lord's  power,  11. 
164,  and  prays  the  Lord  to  rebuke  J.  C.'s  infirmity, 
and  the  Lord  by  his  power  soon  gave  him  ease," 
&c.  II.  321. 

Concerning  his  whole  productions  and  influence, 
it  may  be  justly  said  that  he  was  one  of  the  most 
indefatigable  zealots,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of 
the  most  deluded  religionists  that  ever  hved.  His 
mission  plenipotentiary  from  God,  is  remarkable 
equally  for  its  super-apostolic  claims  and  its  entire 
destitution  of  rational  evidence.  "  I  saw  ;  it  was 
clearly  showed  me  ;  the  power  of  the  eternal  God 
came  over  me ;  the  Lord  said  to  me ;  the  Lord 
opened  to  me ;  the  Lord  moved  me ;"  and  such 
like  seals  of  evidence  abound  multitudinous,  to  a 
degree  which  no  one  of  the  sacred  writers  can 
parallel ;  which  not  even  the  apocryphal  history  of 

Tobit"  can  be  thought  to  rival.  Let  no  man 
condemn  Ann  Lee  and  the  Shakerism  she  intro- 
duced ;  nor  the  more  recent  votaries  of  Mormon- 
ism  ;  nor  the  blasphemies  of  Matthias ;  nor  any 
future  outrage  upon  the  laws  of  evidence  or  the 
feelings  of  piety  or  the  proportions  of  truth ;  if 
they  are  sufficiently  obtuse  or  wayward  to  confess 
the  inspiration  of  George  Fox.  If  to  hate  and  de- 
nounce all  other  religionists  on  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth,  beside  himself  and  his  deluded  retainers ; 
if  to  vaunt  himself  a  paragon  of  perfect  innocence, 
an  intimate  or  familiar  of  the  attendant  divinity,  on 
every  emergency  perfectly  inspired,  a  worker  of 
miracles,  victorious  (as  he  says)  on  all  occasions  of 

14 


106 


dispute  with  learned  men,  knowing  the  contents  of 
scripture  without  reading  them,  and  ordained  of 
God  immediately  for  the  rare  work  of  utterly  revo- 
lutionizing his  own  constitution ;  if  sincere  confi- 
dence in  his  own  qualifications ;  if  a  bold  and  im- 
pudent invasion  of  the  worship  of  others,  interrupt- 
ing and  insulting  it  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  as  did 
not  the  apostles,  and  bestowing  the  coarsest  epi- 
thets on  every  other  ministry  whenever  he  could  find 
it ;  if  calling  the  Episcopalian  edifices  "  steeple- 
houses,"  and  contradicting  their  ministers  publicly 
when  in  their  own  pulpits  ;  if  disturbing  other  con- 
gregations, hundreds  of  them,  wherever  he  went, 
"  to  draw  away  disciples  after  him,"  without  re- 
spect to  individual  and  corporate  rights  or  the  laws 
and  constitution  of  society  ;  if  provoking  persecu- 
tion by  such  means  and  then  complaining  of  it ;  if 
illiterate  effrontery  in  denouncing  all  liberal  learn- 
ing and  all  its  possessors  and  professors ;  if  a  litera- 
lizing,  mysticising,  imaginative  vein  of  theological 
dictation ;  if  resolute  perseverance  in  devotion  to 
his  object :  if  all  these  things  can  constitute  his 
claim  to  confidence — "  Credat  Judaeus  Apella  !  non 
ego.""  Such  an  instance  ought  to  convince  man- 
kind, without  sacrificing  another  of  the  species  in  the 
needless  experiment,  of  the  infinite  importance 
OF  THE  SCRIPTURES ;  as  Supplying  the  very  desi- 
deratum of  an  adequate  rule  in  religion,  by  which 
all  opinions  may  be  tried  and  all  errors  condemned, 
with  unsparing  and  impartial  steadiness,  and  with 
supreme  authority.  All  false  religion,  and  all  infi- 
delity, and  all  heresy,  unite  in  this — to  put  down 


107 


the  volume  of  inspiration  ;  though  they  differ  inimit- 
ably in  their  ways  of  doing  it.  Yet  I  know  of 
nothing  that  makes  it  "  void  "  more  effectually  than 
the  leaven  of  Quakerism  ! 

We  ought  too  to  be  humble  at  the  spectacle  of 
our  dishonored  species.  Poor  human  nature!  where 
is  thy  boasted  intellect]  where  thy  strength  of  judg- 
ment, thy  sane  integrity,  thy  virtue,  thy  wisdom  l 
And  yet  this  system  of  distempered  thought  is  in 
some  of  its  aspects  so  imposing  and  so  importunate, 
that  in  an  intelligent  and  cordial  attachment  to 
the  religion  of  the  scriptures,  and  in  that  alone, 
is  there  any  rational  safety  or  protection  from  its 
fascinations.  The  ignorant  bow  to  it,  of  course  ! 
Yet  who,  beside  the  enlightened  christian,  is  not 
ignorant  of  the  contents,  systematically  viewed,  of 
the  word  of  God  1  Fox  is  the  root  and  the  trunk  of 
the  tree  of  Quakerism.  Some  of  the  radical  sap 
nourishes  every  branch ;  swells  every  bud  into  a 
blossom ;  matures  the  fruit ;  qualifies  the  surround- 
ing odor ;  constitutes  the  shade  of  its  darkness  ; 
and  sustains  all  its  homogenous  parts,  that  have 
stood  for  nearly  two  centuries  uplifted  on  such  a 
supporter.  But  it  is  split ;  it  is  becoming  weak  ; 
it  is  found  to  be  hollow  ;  and  there  is  in  it  a  strange 
inward  light,  which  will  turn  into  a  flame  of  fire, 
and  reduce  it  to  ashes,  for  the  good  of  mankind. 
It  cannot  fall  too  soon  for  the  interests  of  Chris- 
tianity and  of  man.  The  heavenly  dove  is  not  seen 
in  its  branches ;  even  when  its  imposing  foliage 
and  a  still  serenity  as  of  death,  seem  to  invite  or 


108 


to  indicate  her  presence.  "  It  is  nigh  unto  cursing-, 
whose  end  is  to  be  burned." 

We  often  hear  it  said  that  apostates  are  always 
strenuous  in  opposing  the  community  they  have  ab- 
jured. This  may  be  a  general  fact ;  but  as  suck 
it  is  no  argument.  The  word  apostate  is  commonly 
used  in  a  bad  sense  alone,  and  as  such  it  becomes 
a  brand  with  which  to  stigmatize  any  man  who  at 
any  time  and  for  any  cause  renounces  any  society 
or  sect.  But  the  word,  meaning  to  stand  off  from, 
does  of  itself  imply  no  criminality :  because  one 
may  certainly  apostatize  from  error  as  well  as  truth, 
from  evil  as  well  as  good,  and  from  folly  as  well  as 
wisdom.  When  therefore  they  blame  me  for  the 
mere  fact  of  apostacy  from  them,  they  assume  the 
very  thing  which  they  ought  to  prove ;  namely,  that 
their  religion  is  right  and  not  wrong,  is  true  and  not 
false,  is  wise  and  not  fooHsh.  To  apostatize  from 
what  is  wrong,  is  the  grace  of  repentance.  Apos- 
tacy is  right  or  wrong  in  reference  to  its  object  alone, 
and  inversely  as  that  object  is  right  or  wrong.  If 
therefore  Quakerism  be  what  I  think  it  is,  the  fact 
of  my  determined  apostacy  from  it  is  what  I  shall 
recollect  with  pleasure  in  the  day  of  judgment. 
"  Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them,"  &c. 
(2  Cor.  6  :  17,  18.  Rev.  18  :  4.)  As  to  the  strenuous 
opposition  of  apostates  in  all  cases,  it  is  probably  a 
fact :  we  have  however  no  concern  with  it  unless  it 
can  be  proved  that  such  are  always  wrong  in  pro- 
portion as  they  are  strenuous  and  because  they  are 
strenuous.  Paul  apostatized  once  for  all  (he  was 
no  changeling)  from  "  the  Jews'  religion  ;"  and 


109 


they  might  call  him  an  apostate  Jew  and  apply  to 
him  the  proverb  that  apostates  are  always  strenuous 
in  opposition  to  the  community  they  have  abjured. 
Would  that  prove  their  own  rectitude  or  refute  his 
arguments  \  Would  it  prove  that  he  sinned  when 
he  apostatized  from  a  corrupted,  worldly  system, 
which  was  also  abandoned  of  God  and  execrated 
by  mankind,  as  connected  with  its  degenerate  abet- 
tors X  So  Luther  apostatized  from  popery  ;  and  was 
often  gratuitously  reviled  as  an  apostate  by  the  Ro- 
manists. But  if  that  word  is  bad  in  itself  then  know 
that  it  may  be  retorted.  Barclay  was  an  apostate. 
He  left  the  Romish  church  for  the  society  at  nearly 
the  same  age  in  which  I  left  the  society  : — and  what 
then  I  The  inference  is  that  all  the  talk,  in  which 
many  seem  to  glory,  about  apostacy,  is  a  show  of 
words  without  sense — unless  it  be  the  sense  of 
malignity.  But  here  let  it  be  observed  that  it  re- 
quires moral  courage  and  moral  virtue,  which  for 
ever  dare  to  exemplify,  to  brave  the  frown  of  thou- 
sands in  apostatizing  from  antiquated  educational 
error,  on  the  single  principle  of  faith  in  the  testimony 
of  God !  It  is  true  in  modern  as  well  as  in  ancient 
days  that  men  often  countervail  their  secret  convic- 
tions from  mere  moral  cowardice — they  dare  not  do 
their  duty !  John,  12  :  42,  43.  There  is  perhaps 
no  sort  of  pusillanimity  at  once  so  common  and  so 
despicable  and  so  ruinous  as  this  ! 

But  admitting  the  fact  of  this  strenuousness,  and 
supposing  any  case,  as  that  of  Paul  for  example, 
where  the  apostacy  was  right,  it  does  not  follow 


110 


that  the  sirenuousness  is  wrong.  There  are  reasons 
why  such  apostates  should  be  strenuous. 

(1)  They  are  better  acquainted  with  the  evils  of 
the  system  than  others.  Their  knowledge  is  expe- 
rimental  as  well  as  theoretical.  Their  impressions 
are  comparatively  vivid,  their  views  comparatively 
clear,  and  their  convictions  comparatively  just. 
Paul's  knowledge  of  Judaism  could  not,  without  a 
miracle,  have  been  what  it  was  unless  he  had  been 
one  of  them.  My  knowledge  of  Quakerism  could 
never  have  been  what  it  is,  had  I  not  been  educated 
a  Friend.  I  know  they  can  say  that  I  did  not  under- 
stand their  sentiments  when  I  was  with  them ;  and 
if  they  mean  that  I  was  ignorant  of  them  in  contrast 
with  Christianity,  that  is,  ignorant  of  them  as  wrong, 
they  say  truth :  for  I  was  ignorant  of  Christianity. 
Not  so,  if  they  mean  that  I  had  never  heard  hun- 
dreds of  their  preachers  with  attention  and  confi- 
dence, read  their  books,  especially  George  Fox's 
Journal,  and  understood  their  doctrine.  They  may 
say  indeed  that  I  do  not  understand  it  now,  as  they 
often  have  said  ;  the  light  may  tell  them  so,  as  it  has 
told  them  many  other  things  equally  credible ;  but  I 
know  that  I  do  understand  their  system  as  far  as  it 
is  intelligible,  and  that  I  did  this  in  fact  before  J  left 
them.    For  the  rest,  let  others  judge. 

(2)  Apostates  are  more  interested  than  others  in 
the  explosion  of  the  errors  they  have  renounced.  Paul 
often  alludes  to  his  own  case  in  illustrating  the  con- 
dition of  the  Jews  ;  he  had  been  one  of  them,  and 
was  near  the  verge  of  perdition  with  them ;  his 
rescue  was  wonderful ;  and  his  zeal  was  strenuous, 


Ill 


from  this  fact,  for  the  conversion  of  others.  Per- 
haps he  had  unbeheving  relatives,  or  friends  and 
intimates,  whom  he  tenderly  loved ;  and  for  whom 
he  could  never  have  felt  so  deeply  had  he  not  pre- 
viously been  of  their  number.  He  could  appeal  to 
God  that  he  had"  "  great  heaviness  and  continual 
sorrow  in  his  heart"  on  their  account.  It  is  rea- 
sonable and  natural  that  sincere  converts,  from  any 
false  scheme,  should  always  show  their  zeal  in  a 
similar  way. 

(3)  They  are  under  peculiar  obligations.  If  they 
have  peculiar  knowledge  and  peculiar  interests, 
they  have  also  peculiar  facilities  ;  and  they  ought  to 
exert  a  proportionate  influence  in  favor  of  the  truth. 
Who  shall  attend  to  the  case  of  their  former  asso- 
ciates, if  they  neglect  them  \  Do  they  not  owe  it  to 
the  Author  of  their  own  illumination  in  the  truth,  to 
try  to  bring  others  to  its  blessings  \  and  especially 
them  with  whom  themselves  were  once  associated  \ 
Thus  I  have  ever  felt  it  my  duty,  since  the  com- 
mencement of  my  ^'  faith  in  Christ  Jesus "  and 
knowledge  of  "  the  grace  of  God  in  truth,"  to  try 
to  do  something  for  Friends  ;  because,  while  1 
knew  their  sublime  self-complacency  in  religion,  I 
knew  also  their  deep  ignorance  and  error  in  respect 
to  the  true  doctrine  of  Christ.  But  there  never  was 
a  people  perhaps  so  inaccessible  to  all  instruction 
not  of  their  own  making  as  are  they.  They  will 
call  meetings  of  other  denominations  to  hear  them ; 
but  they  will  never  (exceptions  are  not  rules)  re- 
turn the  homage  in  kind,  by  going  to  hear  other 
preachers  than  their  own.    The  only  way  then  is — 


112 


to  publish.  This  I  do: — yet  with  diffidence,  I  con- 
fess, in  my  own  powers  to  perform  the  difficult  ser- 
vice ;  but  without  diffidence,  real  or  professed,  in 
regard  to  the  questions.  What  is  truth  ?  Is  Quaker- 
ism Christianity  ?  Did  George  Fox  preach  the  same 
doctrine  with  Christ  and  the  apostles  ?  With  this 
explanation  I  acknowledge  that  I  am  an  apostate 
from  Quakerism,  and  strenuous  in  devising  the  ex- 
tirpation of  the  system  : — and  strenuous  also,  and 
on  the  same  account,  in  desiring  the  salvation  of  all 
those  who  are  "my  brethren  and  kinsmen  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh." 

I  can  however  adopt  the  language  of  Tully  on 
the  score  of  charity,  as  applicable  here.  Vehe- 
menter  me  agere  fateor,  iracunde  nego.  Omnino 
irasci  amicis  non  temere  soleo,  ne  si  merentur  qui- 
dem.  Sine  verborum  contumelia  a  te  dissentire 
possum,  sine  animi  summo  dolore  non  possum. 
"For  while  I  confess  a  peculiar  earnestness  of 
manner,  I  must  wholly  deny  malignity  of  motive. 
In  converse  with  Friends,  1  am  not  accustomed 
rashly  to  incur  their  resentment ;  even  when  they 
probably  deserve  the  castigation  that  would  lead  to 
it.  I  may  indeed  differ  from  one  without  contu- 
melious language ;  but  in  the  present  instance 
not  without  real  anguish  of  mind." 

It  will  be  a  great  question  doubtless  with  many, 
What  are  the  motives  of  the  writer  ?  Is  it  not  plain 
that  this  is  rather  his  concern  than  theirs?  Men 
there  are  who  never  seriously  set  themselves  to 
search  for  the  truth  ;  and  yet  are  often  found  med- 
dling with  the  motives  of  others:  especially  with 


113 


iheirs  who  aggressively  espouse  the  positive  of  a 
question  in  religion,  professing  a  knowledge  of  the 
truth  and  a  desire  to  communicate  it,  for  the  bene- 
fit of  others  and  the  glory  of  God.  Hence  many 
will  probably  neglect,  or  in  character  omit,  the  peru- 
sal of  this  work,  though  considerably  occupied,  it 
may  be,  in  speculation  on  the  motives  of  the  au- 
thor ;  where  one  will  be  found  so  wise  as  to  leave 
persons  and  motives  to  the  arbitration  of  God, 
while  he  candidly  searches  for  the  principles  of 
truth.  Rom.  14  :  10-12.  With  my  person  and 
motives  the  public  have  little  concern  ;  while  with 
the  matter  of  the  work  their  concern  is  incalculable. 
My  motives,  /  know,  are  supremely  important  to 
myself ;  since  mine  is  the  solemn  responsibility  for 
them  "  at  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ :"  and  though 
I  deem  them  of  little  moment  to  the  public  apart 
from  their  influence  on  the  character  of  this  treatise  ; 
and  though  I  have  generally  conceived  it  to  be  one 
of  the  common  and  sordid  arts  of  false  teachers  to 
be  continually  boasting  of  their  good  motives,  which 
however  deceives  the  hearts  of  multitudes  ;  and 
though  I  have  generally  written  as  if  it  were  com- 
paratively of  no  importance  to  others  what  my  mo- 
tives were,  and  indeed  none  of  their  business  to 
inquire,  unless  the  treatise  itself  so  indicates  them 
as  to  furnish  all  the  evidence  of  which  the  case 
admits  i  still,  I  will  venture  here,  to  the  best  of  my 
knowledge,  frankly  and  fully  to  state  them  :  /  am 
actuated  hy  a  sense  of  duty  to  the  cause  of  truth  and 
its  Author ;  of  duty  to  the  souls  of  men,  and  es- 
pecially to  the  iinmortal  interests  of  the  people,  one 

15 


114 


of  whom  1  was  bom  and  educated  ;  and  whose  dis- 
tinguishing views  I  formerly  and  sincerely  believed  : 
with  the  desire  of  bringing  them  to  see  the  divinity, 
the  fulness,  the  excellency  of  the  scriptures,  as  pro- 
perly our  highest,  holiest,  safest  rule  of  religious  faith 
and  practice — a  rule  that  is  disparaged  or  disclaimed 
only  by  the  policy  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  This 
profession  will  very  possibly  be  impugned.  In 
making  it,  I  am  sensible  of  the  abuse  which  may  be 
made  of  it  by  the  adversary.  Well  I  know  that 
every  breathing  man  upon  the  footstool,  who  re- 
mains unchanged  in  his  native  character,  is  the 
enemy  of  christians  and  of  Christ.  "Behold,  I 
send  you  forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves." 
And  to  me  it  seems  not  credible  that  the  exterior 
habitude  of  meekness,  with  which  Quakerism  so 
mechanically  and  so  cheaply  invests  its  votaries, 
can  do  any  thing  more  for  "the  natural  man"  than 
injuriously  to  misrepresent  him  to  others  and  himself. 
If  it  were  of  use  to  affirm,  never  so  solemnly,  that 
these  are  my  motives,  that  I  have  consciously  no 
other,  and  that  I  beg  to  have  my  positions  refuted 
rather  than  my  name  and  person  assailed,  I  could 
easily  and  would  cheerfully  make  the  affirmation. 
But  well  I  know  "leviathan  is  not  so  tamed."  The 
truth  too  is  stubborn  and  invincible.  Presumption 
cannot  change,  nor  authority  awe,  nor  sorcery  charm 
it.  Hence  those  who  fight  with  the  weapons  of  truth, 
sincerely  forswearing  all  others,  must  never  allow 
feeling  to  govern,  or  sympathy  to  preponderate,  in 
the  strife.  Otherwise  they  may  conciliate  the  foe, 
but  they  lose  the  cause :  the  foe  is  pacified  to  them. 


115 


but  not  to  the  King,  for  whom  they  are  engaged. 
Hence  it  is  that  severities  (as  they  appear  perhaps 
to  all  who  neither  know  nor  love  the  truth)  abound 
in  what  I  have  written ;  as  they  more  terribly  abound 
in  the  word  of  God. 

Unhappy  indeed  is  the  condition  or  a  feult-finder. 
Yet  with  some  such  main  intention  came  I  to  the 
present  service.  If  I  say,  it  is  ungrateful  to  my 
feelings — it  will  be  but  repeating  what  every  one  in 
similar  relations  has  affirmed.  But  the  laws  of 
moral  and  social  feeling  are  immutable.  I  will  say 
the  truth ;  to  me  it  is  disagreeable,  it  is  painful. 
Still,  I  have  no  doubt  it  is  necessary.  "  Necessity 
is  laid  upon  me ;  yea,  wo  is  me  if  I"  do  not  dis- 
charge this  duty  to  the  cause  of  truth.  The  sur- 
geon that  amputates  a  limb,  or  pierces  an  abscess, 
or  inflicts  any  other  suffering  in  the  way  of  his  vo- 
cation ;  must  preserve  a  steady  hand,  an  equal  eye,  a 
firm  tenacious  nerve  :  nor  is  his  kindness  then  sus- 
pected ;  he  is  not  ridiculed,  scorned,  calumniated 
for  his  faithfulness.  The  world  acknowledges  that 
he  willed  not  the  misery,  but  the  cure ;  not  the  pain, 
but  the  restoration.  But,  neither  mercy,  nor  jus- 
tice, is  commonly  done  to  the  polemic.  His  case 
is  trying ;  his  duty  difficult ;  his  obligations  high. 
Who  will  give  him  credit  for  his  motives,  even  if 
they  are  purely  benevolent?  The  vain  world,  whom 
his  argument  condemns  \  the  errorist,  whom  it  ex- 
poses \  the  reprobate,  whom  it  convicts  1  Men  are 
not  so  fond  of  seeing  their  faults,  as  to  thank  those 
who  help  their  vision,  however  honestly.  If  one 
fail  in  the  difficult  attempt,  he  is  condemned  ;  and 


116 

often,  if  he  succeed,  those  whose  errors  he  detects 
are  pitied  and  caressed  for  that  reason.  Few  re- 
ahze  the  interest  which  all  men  have  in  the  truth ; 
and  hence  they  as  little  appreciate  the  injury  of 
error  or  the  necessity  of  correcting  it.  Beside, 
men  incline  generally  to  resist  aggression,  seeming 
or  real,  without  reference  to  equity  ;  and  if  one  is 
deemed  the  assailant,  they  instinctively  take  part 
with  the  assailed,  and  resist  him.  But  let  equity  be 
honored  :  and  let  it  be  ascertained  by  a  wiser  cri- 
terion than  mere  appearances.  Truly,  this  treatise 
is  rather  a  defence.  Friends  are  the  assailants. 
They  assail  all  Christendom.  They  are  the  reform- 
ers and  the  innovators.  They  denounce  all  others ; 
and  that  in  terms  utterly  inconsistent  with  the  allow- 
ance of  their  piety :  "  hirelings,  the  world's  people,'* 
and  such  like  epithets,  abound  in  their  authentic  wri- 
tings. I  never  said  that  they  have  all  no  piety ;  I  only 
say  that  it  is  too  much  mystified,  where  it  possibly 
exists,  to  be  recognised  by  the  church  of  God  ;  that 
their  system  recognises  no  denomination  but  their 
own ;  and  that  ordinarily  I  have  little  confidence  in  the 
piety  of  a  Friend,  whatever  other  qualities  of  gene- 
ral worth  I  may,  and  freely  do,  accord  to  him.  God 
is  my  witness  that  there  is  no  affectation  in  this 
averment — I  am  painfully  "  shut  up  to"  it  by  moral 
necessity  and  all  the  evidence  that  affects  the  case. 
I  never  said  that  they  would  none  of  them  be  saved, 
but  rather  the  contrary:  but  then  I  have  said,  and 
do  say,  that  the  principles  of  salvation  are  immuta- 
ble and  very  little  understood  by  them ;  that  they  are 
often  mistaken,  and  egregiously  misstated,  by^  their 


117 


inspired  ministers,  especially  of  the  tender  sex ;  that 
their  theological  system  involves  much  fundamental 
error,  and  is  "  another  gospel,  which  is  not  ano- 
ther"— as,  if  a  'will  o'  the  wisp'  should  aspire  to 
be  the  sun ;  truly  it  would  be  "  another  sun,  which 
is  not  another ;"  that  their  views  are  bewitching  to 
all  that  are  not  established  in  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus,"  and  destructive  in  an  awful  degree ;  that 
God  requires  his  people  not  only  to  hold  the  truth, 
but  to  *'  hold  it  fast,"  and  in  modern  phrase  to  go 
the  whole  in  its  due  support ;  that  there  can  be  no 
such  thing  as  religious  compromise  with  error  more 
than  with  sin  ;  that  even  the  religious  public  ordina- 
rily misunderstand  it ;  that  Quakerism  must  dis- 
solve and  disappear  as  "  the  baseless  fabric  of  a 
vision,"  since  nothing  but  truth  is  immortal,  and 
with  respect  to  his  own  kingdom  hath  the  Savior 
said,  "  Every  plant  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath 
not  planted,  shall  be  rooted  up;"  that  in  America 
the  exotic  declines,  since  here  are  none  of  the  storms 
of  persecution,  and  I  sincerely  hope  never  will  be, 
to  give  it  vigor  by  endurance  and  circulate  its  genial 
fluids  by  extraneous  action ;  that  it  is  sophisticated 
in  its  very  texture  and  soul,  and  will  make  a  spe- 
cious sophist  mainly  of  any  vaunted  reasoner  who 
espouses  it ;  that  it  is  mystical,  and  as  such  heathen- 
ish and  false,  Christianity  having  many  sublimities 
indeed, — but  nothing  properly  mystical  in  its  whole 
constitution ;  and  that,  leaving  persons  with  God, 
and  contending  as  we  ought  for  principles,  and  that 
valiantly,  and  not  as  when  "  a  standard-bearer  faint- 
eth,"  we  ought  to  inscribe  on  our  banners  the  word 


118 


CHRISTIANITY,  and  resist  for  ever  the  counterfeit  of 
earth  in  favor  of  the  current  coin  of  heaven.  Let 
earthhngs  oppose  the  sentiment,  if  they  will !  their 
retribution  flies  swiftly  and  predominates  for  ever ! 

Respecting  the  capital  sophisms  of  the  Quakers, 
especially  in  the  argumentation  of  Barclay,  I  would 
specify  one  or  two. 

1 .  To  argue  from  the  historical  or  noted  abuse  of 
any  thing,  to  its  disuse  as  both  expedient  and 
obligatory  on  that  account :  instead  of  arguing 
from  the  proper  nature  of  the  thing  as  right  or 
wrong ;  as  sanctioned  by  divine  authority  or  frau- 
dulently imposed  by  men ;  as  natively  tending  to 
goodness  or  productive  of  harm ;  as  intrinsically  a 
part  of  Christianity  or  surreptitiously  and  supersti- 
tiously  appended  to  it.  This  is  the  very  acme  of 
logical  absurdity  and  sin ! 

This  capital  sophism,  with  which  the  Apology 
abounds,  is  perhaps  the  most  absurd  and  abomina- 
ble in  principle  that  can  be  found  in  all  the  circuits  of 
nominal  religion,  in  all  the  errors  of  spurious  logic,  or 
throughout  the  encyclopedia  of  universal  heresy. 
According  to  it,  we  have  only  to  abuse  in  order  to  abo- 
minate a  divine  institution ;  while  we  graduate  its  evil 
exactly  in  proportion  to  its  abuse.  On  this  principle 
the  religion  of  Christ  may  be  legitimately  proved  to  be 
the  worst  system  that  ever  claimed  the  confidence  of 
men — incomparably  the  worst ;  since  no  other  sys- 
tem has  ever  been,  as  all  admit,  so  much,  so  wan- 
tonly, so  universally  abused  !  On  the  same  principle 
the  Divine  Being  himself — but,  I  forbear ! 

The  man  who  does  not  utterly  forswear  this  prin- 


119 


ciple,  and  that  at  once,  intelligently  and  cordially ; 
the  man  who  acts  upon  it  at  all,  either  knowingly 
or  doatingly,  either  confessedly  or — what  is  both 
much  more  common  and  much  more  mischievous — 
covertly,  such  a  man  is  utterly  disqualified  for  the 
business  of  fair  argumentation  on  any  subject ;  and 
on  the  superlative  subject  of  religion  is  he  qualified 
only  to  disparage,  corrupt  and  destroy  it ! 

The  principle  directly  opposite  to  the  sophism,  the 
true  and  proper  one,  the  one  dear  to  the  mind  exact- 
ly in  proportion  to  its  wisdom  and  its  goodness,  is  to 
judge  of  things  according  to  their  nature ;  to  call  their 
abuses  abuses,  and  as  such  to  condemn  and  avoid 
them  ;  and  to  graduate  the  evil  of  the  abuse  in  exact 
proportion  to  the  goodness  of  its  subject!  and  con- 
versely, to  value  an  evil  thing  as  one  neither  liable 
to  abuse,  nor  ordinarily  capable  of  it :  while  it  should 
be  our  aim  directly  to  rescue  religion,  in  her  own 
celestial  beauty,  from  the  wrongs  and  calumnies  of 
her  enemies  ;  and  resolutely  to  view  her  heavenly 
countenance  mainly  as  reflected  in  her  own  perfect 
mirror,  the  scriptures  of  inspiration. 

Let  any  man  who  has  capacity  and  honesty,  and 
a  very  little  of  both  is  sufficient,  read  Barclay  with 
the  rigid  application  of  this  principle  to  all  his  sen- 
tences ;  resisting  the  fascination  of  his  inspired 
audacity ;  and  see  how  much  his  argument  is  every 
where  indebted  to  the  sophism!  Especially  when 
he  speaks  of  the  gospel  ministry  and  the  two  sacra- 
ments ;  to  mention  no  others.  How  it  avails  him, 
and  blinds  his  reader,  to  inveigh  against — what  no 
way  touches  the  question — the  vices,  sordid  motives, 


120 


and  abominable  practices,  of  some,  say  many,  of  the 
clergy  ;  the  dissensions,  angry  controversy,  and  mad- 
dened blood-shed,  that  have  arisen  about  preceden- 
cy, transubstantiation,  the  cup  to  the  laity,  and  a 
thousand  other  matters  of  human  abuse,  which  no 
way  affect  our  obligations ;  except  that  they  all  be- 
come stronger  from  the  premises,  to  resist  abuses 
and  to  exemplify  Christianity  as  Christ  and  the  apos- 
tles gave  it  to  us — and  not  to  despoil  it  of  all  its 
peculiar  characteristics  till  nothing  be  left,  except 
what  no  man  can  abuse  ! 

Barclay  is  fond  of  the  implication  that  the  abuses 
as  abominations,  which  he  alleges,  are  abominated 
only  by  himself  and  his  confederates  of  the  so- 
ciety :  though  he  oftener  declaims  than  adduces  au- 
thentic facts  ;  yet  he  has  no  right  to  imply  that  he 
is  alone  with  his  people,  in  so  loving  Christianity  as 
to  be  equally  alone  in  execrating  its  corrupters. 
Love  for  Christianity  is  my  sole  reason  for  disliking 
him  and  his  fraternity.  To  this  sophism,  I  shall 
have  frequent  occasion  to  advert  in  the  progress 
of  these  pages. 

2.  Another  capital  sophism  deserves  a  place, 
which  I  am  rather  at  a  loss  to  designate.  It  consists 
in  a  rapid  and  daring  application  to  all  christians, 
and  especially — of  course — to  themselves,  of  any 
thing  and  every  thing  contained  in  the  Bible,  with- 
out considering  the  laws  of  application,  or  the  ne- 
cessity of  discriminating,  or  the  native  sense  of  the 
passage  where  it  occurs,  or  the  misery  of  mistake  in 
matters  of  infinite  moment  to  all.  Particularly,  it 
makes  almost  nothing  of  the  perfect  and  solitary 


121 


EMINENCE  OF  THE  APOSTLES  ;  it  discriminates  little 
or  not  at  all  between  what  was  spoken  or  promised 
to  them  exclusively,  and  what  is  equally  appropriate 
to  all  believers ;  it  seems  to  assume  that  miracles 
and  inspiration  (the  latter  necessarily)  were  not  all 
confined  to  the  first  century,  or  merely  adapted 
to  the  initials  of  the  last  and  most  perfect  dispensa- 
tion, and  so  having  performed  their  office  and  fully 
accomplished  the  cause  which  they  were  given  to 
subserve,  have  passed  away  with  the  occasion  that 
required  them ;  while  vital  religion,  quite  another 
thing,  reaps  the  perpetual  harvest  of  their  useful- 
ness, and  flourishes  without  their  repetition.  It  im- 
plies that  those  things  are  revealed  for  imitation, 
rather  than  faith. 

But  let  us  reason  the  case.  The  apostles  wrought 
miracles,  and  for  this  they  were  expressly  trained 
by  their  Master.  Directions,  prohibitions,  and  pro- 
mises of  a  peculiar  nature,  were  hence  propounded 
for  them.  If  the  Quakers  are  just  as  much  inspired, 
then  indeed  all  the  furniture  above  referred  to  is 
equally  their  own.  But  mind !  all  or  none  is  the 
word.  For,  if  some  and  not  all  appertains  to  them, 
then  there  must  be  discrimination ;  then  it  is  not 
enough  to  show  what  is  written  in  the  scriptures,  as 
having  been  spoken  to  the  apostolic  disciples,  since 
the  passages  may  refer  to  them  alone ;  then  it  may 
be  delusion  and  sin  for  Friends  to  apply,  as  they 
do,  to  themselves,  whatever  was  said  to  the  apos- . 
ties.  If  however  all,  saving  mere  local  circum- 
stances, appertains  to  them,  then  let  us  see  them 
dispose  of  such  passages  as  these,  which,  if  not 

16 


122 


confined  to  the  persons  of  the  apostles,  are  confined 
wholly  to  the  age  of  the  apostles.  "  And  these  signs," 
&c.  Mark,  16  :  17,  18.  Luke,  17  :  5,  6.  This  last, 
we  think,  respects  the  faith  of  miracles  alone  ;  or 
the  faith  necessary  to  work  a  miracle  ;  and  which 
it  behoved  them  to  understand,  who  were  soon  to 
be  put  upon  that  perilous  service  in  the  sight  of 
maddened  adversaries.  Mark,  13  :  11.  Such  pas- 
sages abound  in  the  New  Testament  and  afford  a 
fine  paradise  for  sincere  visionaries.  The  Friends, 
those  of  them  who  are  not  degenerate  formahsts 
and  nothingarians,  are  distinguished  for  this  devout 
insanity ;  though  they  are  not  alone  in  its  fits  and 
excesses.  It  has  been  the  partial  and  occasional 
error  of  millions  of  christians,  who  have  in  general 
avoided  it.  Ultimately,  it  is  in  principle  the  very 
thronal  error  of  the  papacy.    The  fact  is,  the 

APOSTLES,  AS  SUCH,  HAD  NO  SUCCESSORS  ;  SUPER- 
SEDED often,  they  have  been  succeeded  never ; 
while  the  assumption  of  apostolical  powers,  apos- 
tolical derivation,  and  apostolical  succession,  in  this 
style  of  feudal  reasoning  and  military  commission 
and  romanizing  pride,  has  been  the  bane  of  visible 
Christianity  since  the  apostles  "  fell  asleep."  It  were 
well  if  an  assumption  so  ignorant  and  criminal  had 
been  totally  confined  to  the  pale  of  the  papacy. 
For  one  I  am  as  much  opposed  as  Barclay,  to  an 
earthly  politico-ecclesiastical  hierarchy ;  but,  while 
I  see  this  shameful  error  at  the  very  basis  of  many 
organized  corruptions,  I  can  see  the  same  principle^ 
a  little  spiritualized  and  of  a  more  tranquil  aspect, 
arrogating  the  commission  and  the  honors  of  the 


123 


apostles  of  the  Lamb,  in  the  persons  of  Barclay 
and  his  associates,  his  predecessors  and  successors 
of  the  foxian  school,  for  nearly  two  centuries.  It 
is  enough  for  sober  christians  to  belong  to  a  church 
whose  profession  is  pure,  whose  officers  are  "  sound 
in  the  faith,"  and  whose  practice  is  humbly  in  coinci- 
dence ;  enough  to  be  "  built  upon  the  foundation  of 
apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being 
the  chief  corner-stone ;  in  whom  all  the  building 
fitly  framed  together,  groweth  unto  a  holy  temple  in 
the  Lord ;  in  whom  they  also  are  builded  together, 
for  a  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit."  To 
these  foundations  of  divine  sanction  and  certain  im- 
movability, the  christian  of  intelligence  would  be 
very  sorry  to  add,  "  and  built  also  upon  George 
Fox,  Robert  Barclay,  Sarah  Grubb,  and  a  thousand 
other  prophets  and  prophetesses,  who  have  been 
recently  commissioned  and  inspired,  exactly  as  were 
Moses  and  Isaiah,  Matthew  and  Paul,  and  all  the 
other  writers  of  the  holy  scripture  !"  It  is  however 
much  more  evident  that  the  whole  massive  struc- 
ture of  Quakerism  rests  on  Fox,  Barclay,  and  others, 
than  tliat  it  touches  "  the  foundation  of  apostles  and 
prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  cor- 
ner-stone." Wo  be  to  it,  if  it  be  found  in  eternity 
not  on  this  foundation  !  "  For  other  foundation  can 
no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ !" 
"  For  their  rock  is  not  as  our  rock,  even  our  enemies 
themselves  being  judges." 

As  to  the  way  in  which  Friends  manage  to  resist 
the  appeal ;  Why  do  you  not  pluck  up  trees  by  the 
roots  and  transport  them  into  the  midst  of  the  ant- 


124 


arctic  ocean  ;  why  do  you  not  take  up  venomous 
serpents  and  fondle  them  with  impunity  ;  why  not 
drink  poison  or  other  deadly  thing  without  preju- 
dice to  heaUhl  Their  way  of  rejoinder  we  know, 
having  often  Ustened  to  the  responses  of  the  oracle 
within,  on  that  article :  "  Why,  dear  Friends,  it  is 
plain  to  the  vision  of  my  mind  that  nothing  is  w^ant- 
ing  but  faith.  The  Almighty  is  the  same  yesterday, 
and  to-day,  and  for  ever.  Be  it  unto  you  according 
to  your  faith.  If  ye  will  not  believe,  surely  ye  shall 
not  he  established.  His  hand  is  not  shortened,  nor 
his  ear  heavy:  he  can  both  hear  and  save.  But 
ivhere  is  your  faith  ?  Alas !  in  what  days  do  we 
live  ?"  True  !  degenerate  times.  Not  a  soul  to  be 
found  on  the  earth  who  can,  for  example,  transport 
the  Alleghany  mountains  one  mile  to  the  east  of 
their  present  lodgment,  or  even  remove  a  bramble 
bush  that  grows  on  its  breast  six  inches  from  the 
position  of  its  local  obstinacy.  No  faith  to  be 
found  !  And  what  is  to  become  of  us  all  ]  He  that 
believeth  not,  said  the  Savior,  shall  be  damned ! 

Who  can  doubt  the  necessity  that  preachers  of 
religion  should  be  apt  to  teach  ?  who  can  knowingly 
approve  of  those,  whose  a  priori  illusion,  resulting 
from  its  parent  illusion  of  "  inward  objective  mani- 
festations in  the  heart,"  so  metamorphoses  and 
mangles  the  doctrine  of  Christ  \  and  at  the  same 
time  removes  them,  (instead  of  the  mountains,)  to 
the  very  antipodes  of  sober  sense  \  The  Spirit  of 
God  denounces  those  busy  teachers,  w-ho  need  them- 
selves to  be  taught  ;  "  understanding  neither  what 
they  sav,  nor  whereof  they  affirm  !"   Now,  as  they 


125 


assert  when  they  answer,  I  shall  just  take  the  same 
liberty  ;  and  assert  that  their  light  is  darkness,  their 
confidence  confusion,  and  their  solution  utterly  igno- 
rant and  utterly  false  !  The  reason  is — that  what 
was  said  to  the  apostles,  as  such,  and  all  that  related 
to  THEIR  working  of  miracles,  is  formally  appli- 
cable TO  THE3I  ALONE,  and  of  usc  to  US  Only  in  a 
way  of  instruction,  advertisement,  and  sober  accom- 
modation. Other  sayings  of  God  apply  to  us,  and 
are  objects  of  faith  to  christians  of  our  age ;  our  want 
of  faith,  toward  objects  that  properly  relate. to  us, 
may  be  rebuked  by  what  was  said  to  apostles  in  other 
relations  :  and  this  is  what  I  mean  by  the  use  of 
sober  accommodation  under  the  guidance  of  the  great 
moral  truths  of  Christianity.  Faith  is  indeed  suffi- 
ciently and  quite  criminally  infirm,  even  in  true 
christians ;  but  if  we  were  all  as  destitute  of  it,  as 
we  are  of  all  attained  or  attainable  power  to  remove 
trees  and  mountains,  the  plain  consequence  were 
that  no  true  church  exists  on  the  earth,  and  we  shall 
all  perish  for  ever  !  Let  them  father  the  consequence, 
who  hold  the  doctrine !  and  let  every  Friend,  who 
cannot  perform  these  prodigies,  "examine  himself 
whether  he  be  in  the  faith  !" — for  I  can  inform  him 
that  it  is  possible  to  be  a  true  christian  without  them : 
and  more,  that  "  many  will  say  to  Christ  in  that  day, 
Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name  \ 
and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out  devils  l  and  in  thy 
name  done  many  wonderful  works  ?  And  then  will 
he  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  :  depart 
from  me  ye  that  work  iniquity."  Judas  may  head 
this  forlorn  company,  as  their  "  chief  speaker ;"  for 


126 


we  know  he  never  departed  from  iniquity,  though 
there  is  some  evidence  that  he  wrought  miracles : 
we  know  this,  because  (1)  there  is  not  a  particle  of 
evidence  that  he  ever  had  any  piety,  that  Christ 
ever  knew  him ;  and  (2)  there  is  direct  evidence  to 
the  contrary.  Said  Je^^  "  Have  not  I  chosen  you 
twelve  ■?  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil.  He  spake  of 
Judas  Iscariot,  the  son  of  Simon  :  for  he  it  was  that 
should  betray  him,  being  one  of  the  twelve."  John, 
6:  70,  71.  Matt.  10:  4,8.  He  called  Judas  "a 
devil" -in  the  early  stages  of  his  ministry;  nor  did 
he  then  first  learn  his  character,  as  if  in  thus  asso- 
ciating him,  in  his  deep  providential  wisdom,  with 
the  others,  he  had  mistaken  that  character.  The 
Son  of  God  was  not  used  to  mistakes :  "  because 
he  knew  all  men  ;  and  needed  not  that  any  should 
testify  of  man,  for  he  knew  what  was  in  man."  Be- 
sides, it  is  expressly  said,  that  "  Jesus  knew  from  the 
beginning  who  they  were  that  believed  not,  and  who 
should  betray  him.''  John  2  :  24,  25.  6  :  64.  How 
perilous  to  the  soul  is  the  darkness  of  the  inward 
light !  If  it  were  a  mere  absurdity,  as  innocent  as 
it  is  silly  or  sincere,  I  should  say  dream  on — at  least 
should  not  write  a  book  to  arouse  it  with  the  order, 
"  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead, 
and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light."  I  will  just  add, 
there  is  more  force  in  the  frequent  averment  that 
Jesus  knew  the  traitor  (in  one  sense,  as  he  knew  him 
not,  in  another  and  a  nobler  sense)  from  the  begin- 
ning, that  he  certainly  seems  never  to  have  been 
either  known  or  suspected  by  the  eleven  !  Lord  is 
it  I  ?  so  said  they  all."  No  one  said,  Is  it  not  Judas? 


127 

*'  Some  men's  sins  are  open  beforehand,  going  before 
to  judgment;"  as  in  the  case  of  the  openly  profane 
and  profligate  :  "  and  some  men  they  follow  after  ;" 
as  in  the  case  of  saintly  seducers  and  hypocrites, 
whose  real  character  is  revealed  (like  that  of  Judas) 
late,  or  only  in  eternity.  "  But  evil  men  and  se- 
ducers shall  wax  worse  and  worse,  deceiving  and 
being  deceived-" 

I  have  just  adverted  to  a  passage  of  scripture,  and 
used  it  too  in  its  correct  import,  which  may  as  well 
here  be  considered  more  at  large.  Friends  abuse 
it  very  sincerely,  if  not  universally.  If  they  knew  its 
meaning,  it  would  mock  their  inspiration  terribly. 
It  is  this.  "  Some  men's  sins  are  open  beforehand, 
going  before  to  judgment;  and  some  men  they  fol- 
low after.  Likewise  also  the  good  works  of  some 
are  manifest  beforehand  ;  and  they  that  are 
otherwise  cannot  be  hid."  1  Tim.  5 :  24,  25.  The 
original  word  7i^ohyf?^og  means  simply — manifest, 
palpable,  clear  as  day,  not  to  be  mistaken.  It  is 
rendered  in  the  passage,  '^open  beforehand,'  and 
*  manifest  beforehand.'  It  occurs  only  in  a  third 
place  in  the  New-Testament,  Heb.  7 :  14,  and  is 
there  better^^  rendered  "evident."  The  passage 
then  means  in  substance  this  ;  Beware,  Timothy, 
in  ordaining  officers  or  receiving  members  or  super- 
vising the  general  interests  of  the  church  ;  beware 
of  specious  appearances.  Some  men  indeed  could 
not  deceive  you  :  they  are  too  palpably  wicked  ; 
their  sins  are  notorious ;  their  lives  are  scandalous  ; 
you  and  all  men  know  them,  and  so  anticipate 
for  them  very  correctly  the  sentence  of  eternal 


judgment,  to  which  their  enormities  proceed,  as  it 
were,  before  them  ;  expecting  their  arrival  and  the 
retribution  then  to  be  displayed  against  them. 
But  there  is  another  class  of  wicked  men  of  a  de- 
scription precisely  opposite.  They  are  good  look- 
ing, celestializing,  imposing  hypocrites.  You  must 
be  wary  and  penetrating  to  see  them.  Their  sins 
are  more  covert ;  less  manifest ;  not  preceding  them 
but  "following  after  "  to  judgment.  Beware  then 
of  appearances  ;  and  lay  hands  suddenly  on  no  man. 

Not  knowing  the  sense  of  this  text  or  the  words 
of  the  original,  Friends  spiritualize  it  into  a  very 
good  meaning  indeed  !  so  that  what  the  apostle 
used  to  denote  flagitious  profligates  or  open  con- 
temners of  goodness,  their  inspiration  interprets  to 
mean  a  high  and  holy  spiritual  experience  which 
Friends  of  an  exalted  character,  or  saints  alone, 
realize.  Often  have  J  heard  their  preachers  insist, 
with  all  the  unction  of  holy  sonorousness,  on  the 
necessity  and  blessedness  of  this  rare  experience  ! 
Saying  substantially  as  follows  :  "  Ah  !  my  Friends, 
you  must  come  to  know  this  for  yourselves.  Can  you 
say  in  truth  and  from  your  own  assured  expe- 
rience, *  My  sins  are  open  beforehand,  going 
before  to  judgment  V  Happy  those  who  can  adopt 
that  language  of  the  apostle  !  They  know  of  a  sure- 
ty how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is !  O  the  ex- 
cellency of  this  experience !  I  say  again,  my  dear 
Friends,  have  you  ever  known  it  for  yourselves  ? 
Be  assured  that  without  it  you  are  only  as  *  sound- 
ing brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbal.'  I  can  testify 
to  the  excellency  of  the  experience,  from  certain 


129 


knowledge  and  with  undoubted  clearness  made 
manifest  by  the  inward  Teacher  to  my  soul.  O  how 
much  better  than  all  the  learning  of  the  schools ! 
How  great  the  '  learned  ignorance '  that  knows  it 
not,  and  yet  affects  to  preach  unto  others  in  the 
learning  of  the  letter !  As  I  sat  in  the  stillness  and 
solemnity  of  all  flesh,  the  word  was  sounded  through 
the  secret  chambers  of  my  heart,  in  the  present 
meeting:  and  it  was  made  manifest  to  my  inner 
man  that  I  must  communicate  it  for  the  benefit  of 
others.  I  deliver  it  as  a  message  from  the  Lord  to 
some  of  you.  To  whom  it  appertaineth  I  know 
not ;  it  was  not  revealed  to  me.  But  sure  I  am, 
my  very  dear  Friends,  that  some  soul  will  feel  that 
its  state  is  reached  by  what  the  Master  gave  me  to 
communicate."  Friends  will  probably  think  that  I 
am  now  sinning  against  conscience,  if  not  commit- 
ting the  unpardonable  sin,  by  thus  exposing  them. 
My  motive  is  with  the  Lord.  As  to  the  facts  I  have 
declared,  their  truth  is  the  most  venomous  thing  in 
the  statement.  Often,  often  have  I  heard' this  sub- 
lime experience  recommended ;  I  could  narrate 
several  pretty  facts  in  this  connection — but  I  for- 
bear ;  having  answered  my  object  by  rescuing  the 
true  sense  of  the  passage  from  their  inspiration, 
and  giving  to  the  impartial  reader  another  facility  of 
ascertaining  the  soundness  of  their  pretensions,  in 
connection  with  their  incomparable  sublimity !  I 
think,  however,  that  to  any  judicious  and  just  be- 
holder, we  may  here  apply  the  passage  to  Quakerism 
itself  personified,  with  conviction  of  its  righteous- 
ness :  "  O  degrading  counterfeit !  O  ignorant  and 

17 


130 


vaporing  cheat !  O  dark  and  dreary  meteor  of  light? 
thy  sins  are  manifest  beforehand,  going  before  to 
judgment.  Thy  inspiration  is  the  veriest  folly  in 
the  world.  It  is  the  dishonor  of  God  and  the  con- 
fusion of  men.  It  is  piety  to  detest  thy  character, 
resist  thy  usurpation,  and  open  the  prison-doors  to 
them  that  are  bound  in  the  miserable  caverns  of 
thy  influence."  More  than  once  have  /  been  so- 
lemnly asked,  since  I  left  them  and  before,  "  if  my 
sins  had  ever  been  opened  beforehand,"  &c.  I  hope 
to  be  spared  the  trial  of  a  repetition  of  the  pious 
concern,  from  henceforth ! 

3.  A  third  sophism,  that  characterizes  their  rea- 
soning and  results — how  I  pity  them — from  a  sense 
of  consistency  in  maintaining  the  prerogatives  of 
oracular  inspiration  and  the  diapason  of  religious 
sing-song,  is  this — whatever  breaks  upon  the  mind 
in  connection  with  a  text,  is  the  inspired  solution  of 
its  meaning,  is  the  true  and  orthodox  interpretation. 
Hence  it  is  that  their  preachers,  with  their  prince 
Barclay  +iimself,  (the  most  rational  Friend  that  ever 
thought  himself  inspired,)  are  the  worst  interpreters 
in  the  world!  There  are  two  reasons  for  this:  (1) 
their  liability  to  be  wrong ;  resulting  from  their  dis- 
dain of  sober  investigation ;  their  general  ignorance 
of  the  laws  of  true,  and  the  facilities  of  false,  inter- 
pretation ;  their  religious  dread  of  any  helps  that 
appear  learned  and  that  savor  of  the  wicked  school- 
men ;  their  real  and  educated  destitution  of  the  best 
helps  in  judgment ;  and  the  force  of  system  and  of 
sect  prejudicing  their  perceptions ;  and  (2)  their  ne- 
cessary and  sublime  self-commitment  to  defend  their 


131 


positions — all  the  sparks  that  they  have  kindled. 
This  is  only  consistency !  Who  would  not  defend 
his  positions  as  infallible,  who  believed  that  they 
were  all  given  by  inspiration  of  God  ;  and  so  were 
proper  codicils  to  the  volume  of  prophets  and  apos- 
tles as  in  common  "  the  oracles  of  God  !"  Hence 
they  cannot  confess  error,  without  blowing  up  their 
system.  They  ought  to  be  right  indeed,  so  right 
that  miracles  could  add  nothing  to  the  evidence  of 
their  infallibility  ;  otherwise  there  may  be  inevitable 
perdition  in  the  necessity  under  which  they  lay 
themselves  of  defending  at  all  events  the  positions 
of  their  preaching  !  To  be  incorrigibly  wrong,  on 
such  a  central  matter  of  one's  creed,  is  just  as  ill 
omened  to  the  welfare  of  the  soul  as  it  seems  pos- 
sible to  conceive  !  To  confess  error,  when  proved, 
is  the  privilege  of  a  freeman  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  is 
willing  to  own  himself  wiser  to-day  than  he  was 
yesterday. 

The  instances  of  false  interpretation  that  abound 
in  the  sayings  and  writings  of  their  preachers  are 
"  so  many  as  the  stars  of  the  sky  in  multitude,  and 
as  the  sand  which  is  by  the  sea-  shore  innumerable." 
They  quote  in  a  loose,  hap-hazard,  and  often  most 
erring  way  in  point  of  fact.  They  educe  a  doc- 
trine from  a  text  that  never  was  in  it ;  though  it 
might  have  been  m  them.  They  infer  from  premi- 
ses what  was  never  contained  in  them.  They 
give  to  their  own  imaginings,  beside  the  unction 
and  sanction  of  the  oracle,  a  certain  homogeneousness 
of  the  system  which  the  text  never  had  before,  and 
which  is  both  specious  and  satisfactory  to  all ;  then 


132 


they  frequently  exclaim ;  "  and  now,  Friends,  only 
behold  it !  was  any  thing  ever  plainer  in  the  world  1 
How  rational,  how  excellent,  how  consolatory ! 
What  need  of  the  vain  learning  of  the  world,  to 
unravel  what  hath  been  revealed  to  sucklings  and 
iohahesV^  And  thus  the  whole  meeting  are  con- 
vinced ;  all  bowed  under  the  influence ;  all  gathered 
into  the  clear  light  and  life  of  the  spirit !  And  what 
abhorred  impiety  to  breathe  a  breath  against  all  that 
incumbent  glory !  /  know  how  horribly  profane 
such  an  aggression  would  be  held  by  them :  and 
yet  I  very  calmly  declare  it  the  spell  of  a  more 
horrible  delusion  ! 

Take  one  more  instance  of  false  interpretation : 
et  crimine  ub  uno,  disce  omnes.^^  It  occurs  in  the 
formal  statement  of  the  Jifth  proposition  of  the 
Apology,  "  concerning  the  universal  redemption 
by  Christ,  and  also  the  saving  and  spiritual 
LIGHT,  wherewith  every  man  is  enlightened.^^  Its 
object  is  to  prove  the  universality  of  the  light.  It 
occurs  in  the  quotation  of  the  following  passage  ; 
"  Nor  is  it  less  universal  than  the  seed  of  sin,  being 
the  purchase  of  his  death,  who  tasted  death  for 
every  man :  for  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ 
all  shall  be  made  alivey  1  Cor.  15  :  22. 

These  specimens  I  have  purposely  selected,  as 
being  suited  to  my  object,  without  being  outra- 
geously bad  or  as  exceptionable  as  others.  They 
are  as  decent  instances  as  can  be  found.  One  re- 
mark here — we  ought  to  give  no  quarters  to  an  inter- 
preter of  INSPIRED  resources,  whatever  may  be  due 
in  clemency  to  others.    It  is  bad  enough  when  an 


133 


uninspired  preacher  mistakes  the  meaning  of  scrip- 
ture and  misrepresents  the  mind  of  God :  espe- 
cially, as  is  generally  the  case,  if  it  occur  from  a 
criminal  carelessness  in  dealing  with  his  words. 
But  an  inspired  blunderer — what  a  monster !  shall 
we  spare  him  1 

Though  these  remarks  principally  affect  the  lat- 
ter quotation ;  yet,  with  respect  to  the  former,  Heb. 
2  :  9,  as  I  am  persuaded  he  mistakes  its  meaning,  I 
will  remark,  that  the  word  man  is  not  in  the  origi- 
nal, and  the  strict  rendering  of  iirtep  navtbi  is  for 
each,  or,  on  account  of  every  one,  as  Dr.  Macknight 
has  it ;  thus,  "  that  he  should  taste  death  for  every 
one  of  them,''''  Now  the  connection  evinces  that  the 
apostle  is  speaking  of  the  church,  and  not  of  the 
world  ;  hence  "  they  who  are  sanctified,  many  sons 
brought  unto  glory,  saying,  I  will  declare  thy  name 
unto  my  brethren,  in  the  midst  of  the  church  will  I 
sing  praise  unto  thee,^^  are  the  associated  expres- 
sions of  the  context.  I  do  not  think  therefore  that 
that  passage  proves  universality  in  any  relation, 
with  respect  to  the  species  of  man.  I  indeed  be- 
lieve that  the  atonement,  made  by  Jesus  Christ  on 
the  cross,  is  in  its  own  nature  amply  sufficient  for 
all  mankind,  and  that  nothing  but  their  voluntary 
pride  and  obstinacy  of  unbelief  prevail  as  the  means 
of  exclusion  to  any  one  who  hears  the  gospel ;  that 
the  atonement  is  designedly  large  enough  for  all, 
and  applicable  to  all,  but  applied  only  to  them  that 
believe !  that  it  is  offered  to  all ;  to  them  that  re- 
ject, as  really,  as  consistently,  and  as  sincerely,  as 
to  them  that  accept  it;  and  that  to  reject  it  is  a 


134 


deep  and  damning  sin,  which  any  man  indulges  at 
the  peril  of  his  soul,  in  a  matter  where  his  guilt  is 
manifest  and  his  doom  revealed  :  still,  I  do  not  be- 
lieve that  any  such  doctrine  is  taught  in  the  text 
now  under  consideration.  Am  I  right  in  this  \  How 
then  does  it  consist  with  the  views  of  Barclay  or 
the  use  to  which  he  has  applied  it? 

The  text  from  1  Cor.  15  :  22,  is  however  a  worse 
perversion.  "  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in 
Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive."  He  plainly  here 
infers  or  sees  clearly  that  the  word  die  refers  to  spi- 
ritual death.  This  will  be  for  a  moment  admitted. 
I  ask  then  if  its  manifest  opposite  made  alive  means 
not  shall  he  spiritually  quickened  and  horn  again  ? 
If  so,  the  passage  as  Barclay  interprets  it,  proves 
universal  salvation !  I  will  not  take  upon  me  to  say 
how  inuch  such  a  view  would  afflict  the  sentiments 
of  Friends  :  I  am  safer  in  saying  that  such  a  view 
is  no  more  the  native  sense  or  proper  meaning  of 
the  passage  than  if  he  had  used  it  to  prophesy  what 
shall  occur  in  heaven  a  million  of  ages  hence  or 
had  told  us  that  it  means — a  certain  youth  of  Scotch 
nativity,  French  education,  Romish  predilections, 
and  very  respectable  talents,  was  converted  to  the 
sentiments  of  George  Fox,  and  inspired  to  write  a 
book  as  good  as  the  Bible,  if  not  better,  called  Bar- 
clay's Apology. 

The  word  die,  in  the  passage,  is  to  be  literally  in- 
terpreted, meaning  nothing  but  natural  death — as 
it  is  improperly  called  :  for  death  was  a  part  of  our 
sentence  as  sinners.  Gen.  3  :  19,  which  has  been 
executed  from  the  beginning.    But  what  if  we  "  all 


135 


die"  in  Adam?  we  "shall  all  be  made  alive"  m 
Christ.  The  dominion  of  death  shall  be  destroyed 
and  his  vast  prison  depopulated. 

Those  ruins  shall  be  built  again, 
And  all  that  dust  shall  rise. 

"  There  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both 
of  the  just  and  unjust."  Acts,  24  :  15.  John,  5  :  28, 
29.  1  Thess.  4  :  13-18.  Matt.  10  :  28.  "  The  re- 
surrection of  the  just"  will  be  ineffably  and  consum- 
mately glorious  ;  and  this  doctrine,  in  connection 
with  the  general  subject,  it  is  the  formal  object  of 
the  apostle  throughout  this  wonderful  chapter  to 
prove  beyond  all  contradiction.  The  passage  con- 
cerned is  in  perfect  keeping  with  all  the  other 
parts :  while  the  importance  of  the  doctrine  is  such — 
a  doctrine  denied  by  "  some  "  at  Corinth — that 
the  apostle  has  declared  it  to  be  just  fundamen- 
tal to  Christianity!  The  great  argument  of  the 
apostle  for  the  resurrection  of  our  bodies  is  the 
fact  that  Christ'' s  body  rose,  ascended,  and  is  sub- 
limed and  glorified  for  ever  in  heaven.  His  posi- 
tion is — that  our  bodies  shall  rise  just  as  certainly ; 
and  the  bodies  of  saints,  to  everlasting  beauty  and 
beatitude.  He  considers  the  position  however  in 
reference  mainly  to  the  resurrection  of  the  just.  In 
proof  of  this  view  we  might  quote  the  whole  chap- 
ter, and  innumerable  other  passages  of  genuine 
inspiration.  1  Cor.  15  :  12-22. 

To  many  readers  this  argumentation  of  mine 
will  appear  unnecessarily  minute.  But  my  object 
shall  soon  appear,  to  explain  and  vindicate  the 


136 


seeming  prolixity.  It  is  two  fold ;  (1)  to  evince 
that  Barclay  has  miserably  mistaken  the  plain  and 
certain  meaning  of  the  passage,  when  he  spirituah- 
zes  the  ideas  of  dying  and  being  made  alive,  and 
then  applies  them  to  prove — yes,  to  prove  his  doc- 
trine of  "  universal  redemption  by  Christ,  and  also 
the  saving  and  spiritual  light,  wherewith  every  man 
is  enlightened !"  I  call  this  most  miserable  and 
guilty  blundering,  which,  in  a  man  of  scholarship 
and  professed  inspiration,  who  writes  a  voluminous 
polemical  tractate,  ought  to  be  universally  appre- 
ciated. He  addresses  his  book  to  "  the  CLERGY 
of  what  sort  soever,  unto  whose  hands  these  may 
come  ;  but  more  particularly  to  the  doctors,  pro- 
fessors and  STUDENTS  of  divinity  in  the  universities 
and  schools  of  Great  Britain,  whether  prelatical, 
presbyterian,  or  any  other:"  a  book  abounding  with 
just  such  wild,  rash  and  false  interpretation  of  scrip- 
ture passages ;  that  makes  a  great  show  of  scrip- 
ture authorities  and  references,  while  on  examina- 
tion it  appears  that  his  very  proof-texts  are  (I  do 
not  say  intentionally,  but  I  do  say,  through  a 
criminal  and  hurtful  assumption  that  he  is  inspir- 
ed) wrested  from  their  original  meaning — and 
wrested  with  the  greatest  and  the  most  imposing 
confidence  !  The  imposition  is  very  grateful  (not  of 
course  as  such)  to  Friends ;  and  they  think  that, 
apart  from  the  oracular  wisdom  of  their  school- 
learned  prophet,  his  positions  are  all  fortified  by 
scripture,  and  not  to  be  answered  by  the  "hire- 
lings "  to  whom  they  were  in  defiance  addressed. 
Many  of  them  boast  to  this  day,  in  their  deep  do- 


137 


tage,  that  the  Apology  has  never  been  answered  and 
is  truly  unanswerable: — a  very  convenient  sentiment 
for  "  the  Society."  I  do  not  examine  other  texts, 
only  because  I  think  it  unnecessary  here  to  pursue 
the  subject.  To  correct  all  his  wrong  and  wretched 
misinterpretations  of  scripture,  for  which — observe 
— I  do  not  oppugn  his  sincerity  or  charge  him  with 
conscious  fraud,  were  an  invidious  and  an  elabo- 
rate task,  to  say  nothing  of  the  mass  of  paper  it 
would  require.  Any  man  of  sober  sense  may  make 
an  inference  by  the  way,  in  respect  to  the  validity  of 
his  claims  to  inspiration  !  Inspiration  is  itself  a  mis- 
erable thing  if  it  cannot  interpret  its  own  words, 
previously  uttered  and  recorded  !  What  could  more 
tend  to  make  infidels  by  thousands  and  millions, 
in  respect  to  all  the  claims  of  Christianity,  than  to 
represent  its  basis  to  be  a  dark,  self-contradictory, 
mystical  and  blundering  inspiration  I — such  an  in- 
spiration exactly  as  that  of  Friends  in  all  ages  since 
the  time  of  Cromwell ! 

But  I  have  a  further  though  a  kindred  ob- 
ject in  urging  this  matter  of  interpretation.  (2) 
Friends  do  none  of  them  believe  in  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  body.    To  some  readers  this 
will  be  strange  even  to  astonishment.    Very  few, 
who  believe  that  doctrine,  on  the  simple  authority  of 
scripture,  could  imagine  that  it  was  any  part  of 
the  darkness  of  the  inward  light  boldly  to  deny 
and  denounce  a  fact  so  plainly  revealed  in  the  ora- 
cles of  God,  and  there  made  so  fundamental  to 
Christianity  !  But  it  is  even  so  !  I  venture  the  as- 
sertion that  a  Friend  who  believes  it  is  a  rarer  phe- 

18 


138 


nomenon  than  an  eclipse  of  the  moon.  Rightly 
to  believe  it,  according  to  the  sure  testimony  of 
God,  is  well  nigh  impossible  to  any  man  who  does 
not  believe  in  the  paramount  authority  of  scripture  ; 
and  to  no  man  more  incorrigibly  than  to  a  Friend. 
They  call  it  a  gross  conception,  a  heathen  notion,  a 
piece  of  folly,  and  a  thing  impossible.  They  use 
the  stale  arguments  of  mere  deism  against  it.  I 
have  heard  especially"^  one  of  their  preachers  most 
scornfully  declaim  against  it  : — any  mere  bearer 
would  have  thought  that  his  sermon  was  the  libel- 
lous harangue  of  a  deist  opposing  revelation. 
Though  young  (as  a  few  weeks  only)  in  the  know- 
ledge of  God,  and  then  a  member  of  the  society,  I 
longed  to  say  unto  them,  "  ye  do  err,  not  knowing 
the  scriptures,  nor  the  power  of  God  !  why  should 
it  be  thought  a  tiling  incredible  with  you  that  God 
should  raise  the  dead  \  Be  not  deceived  ;  evil  com- 
munications corrupt  good  manners.  Awake  to 
righteousness,  and  sin  not ;  for  some  have  not  the 
knowledge  of  God :  I  speak  this  to  your  shame. 
But  some  man  will  say,  How  are  the  dead  raised 
upl  and  with  what  body  do  they  comel  Thou  fool, 
that  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened  except  it  die. 
Who  art  thou,  O  man,  that  repliest  against  God  1" 
Matt.  22  :  29.  Acts,  26  :  8.  1  Cor.  15  :  33-36. 
Rom.  9  :  20. 

This  topic  is  immensely  important.  Christianity 
stands  or  falls  with  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  body !  That  man  ought  to  doubt  his  piety 
who  can  look  at  the  heresy  of  Friends  on  this  article 
and  feel  indifferent.    Is  it  nothing  that  the  hopes 


139 


of  the  whole  world  or  those  of  them  that  are  alone 
legitimate,  should  be  ruined  by  a  heavenly-looking 
heresy  that  sinks  their  common  basis  into  nothing  f 
I  would  just  as  soon  turn  atheist  outright  or — what 
is  the  same  thing — sadducee  entire,  as  fellowship 
any  man  who  dares  to  violate  the  only  hope  of  men 
by  denying  the  scriptural  account  of  the  resurrection 
of  both  soul  and  body! 

The  word  avaataaig.  translated  resurrection  oc- 
curs nearly  fifty  times  in  the  New  Testament.  Its 
proper  meaning  is  re-existence,  or  a  standing  up 
afterward  of  those  who  are  here  prostrated  by 
death.  It  refers  to  the  soul  and  body  both  ;  yet  so 
essentially  that  the  Bible  treats  those  who  deny 
either  as  denying  both,  and  so  denounces  them  as 
reprobates.  Friends  do  not,  I  know,  deny  the  an- 
astasis  or  resurrection  of  the  soul.  They  believe, 
in  form  as  we  do,  that  the  soul  goes  to  its  allotment 
immediately  at  death.  So  far  they  believe  pro- 
fessedly the  scripture  doctrine  of  the  resurrection. 
Thus  Christ  taught  it  in  the  case  of  the  patriarchs, 
whose  bodies  are  not  yet  raised,  hut  who  "  sleep  in 
Jesus,"  by  quoting  a  passage  from  "  the  scripture," 
and  then  declaring,  "  God  is  not  the  God  of  the 
dead,  but  of  the  living."  But  not  a  Friend — far 
from  it — believes  in  the  gross  conception  that  the 
body  shall  rise  !  This  point,  except  by  some  pretty 
certain  implications,  Barclay  wholly  omits.  I  have 
read  his  book  often  and  much  ;  and  on  one  occasion 
lately  read  it  regularly  through ;  but  remember  no 
sentence  in  which  he  formally  touches  the  subject. 
This  was,  I  must  think,  policy !    Few  suspected 


140 


him  to  deny  what  he  did  not  discuss ;  and  fewer 
still  would  mark  an  omission  that  was  not  by  them 
anticipated.  Their  blank  infidelity  here  ought  to 
be  known.  This  single  but  important  matter  is  to 
me  proof  positive  that  they  are  all  deluded  by  some 
spirit  that  rules  their  darkness. 

They  do  indeed  use  the  word,  passingly,  in  re- 
ference to  Christ,  and  even  claim  to  believe  the  fact 
of  him  ;  as  when  they  give  out  one  of  their  best 
aspects  to  the  public,  speaking  of  the  "  birth,  life, 
crucifixion,  resurrection,  and  ascension,"  of  the  Re- 
deemer. But  farther  than  this  I  never  knew  them 
go.  If  any  authentic  treatise  of  their  authors  con- 
tains it,  I  never  saw,  I  never  heard  from  one  of 
them,  a  declaration  that  "  all  that  are  in  their 
graves"  shall  "come  forth"  in  the  last  day  at  the 
word  of  Christ.  If  it  is  one  of  their  'orthodox'  theses, 
how  happened  the  "  Apology"  to  forget  to  mention 
it"?  Was  it  less  important  than  the  "plain  lan- 
guage," &c  1  or  did  inspiration  lose  its  self-posses- 
sion in  the  authorship  of  that  lucid  volume  1  I  be- 
lieve verily  that  I  am  uttering  the  truth,  when  I  say, 
they  are  either  utterly  ignorant  or  utterly  infidel  on 
the  point.  And  very  cardinal  is  this,  not  only  abso- 
lutely, but  as  a  matter  of  test  in  the  controversy  ;  for 
no  man  living  believes  the  doctrine,  except  simply 
on  the  authority  of  scripture ;  and  it  is  a  doctrine 
not  at  SlW  peculiar  to  any  denomination  of  christians. 
What  kind  of  a  homogeneous  inspiration  then  is 
that  of  Friends,  that  leads  them  not  to  know  it,  to 
disbelieve  it,  or  forget  or  deny  it  1  I  say  again,  it  is 
A  TEST  matter  ;  it  is  a  demonstration  that  confounds 


141 


for  ever  their  high  and  false  pretensions  !  I  know 
indeed  that  in  Sewel,  Gough,  Penn,  and  others,  the 
word  is  used,  and  reference  had  to  its  general  im- 
port. But  how  brief,  passing,  inconclusive  !  It  may 
mean  (and  it  occurs  ve^-y  rarely  even  thus)  that  Christ 
rose  from  the  dead — and  not  that  the  whole  species 
shall  rise  also.  I  have  heard  the  doctrine,  as  chris- 
tians hold  it,  often  disclaimed  and  ridiculed  by 
Friends  of  different  classes,  long  before  the  schism. 
Mosheim  signalizes  their  denial  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  as  one  of  the  known  and  central  attri- 
butes of  the  heresy.  So  do  other  authors,  and  those 
of  the  first  respectability.  Here  the  reader  may 
inquire,  "Why,  if  Quakerism  is  Christianity,  has  it 
been  so  doubted,  impeached,  denounced,  by  wise 
and  holy  men  in  all  ages  and  places  since  its  rise  1 
The  men  who  have  been  its  characteristic  oppugners, 
are  the  first  in  the  evangelical  world,  especially  in 
the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries  ;  and  they 
are  all  agreed  in  exploding  it,  as  a  sophistical  delu- 
sion and  an  impious  deceit.  Says  Dr.  Owen,  among 
other  solemn  and  pertinent  declarations,  "  Sin  will 
not  be  mortified  by  the  power  of  their  light  within, 
nor  by  their  resolutions,  nor  by  any  of  their  austere 
outward  appearances,  nor  peculiar  habits  or  looks, 
which  in  this  matter  are  openly  He 
says  that  in  his  day  they  only  gratified  deceitfully 
the  impulses  of  sin,  by  "  exciting  and  provoking 
themselves  to  exceed  all  others  in  clamors,  railings, 
evil  speakings,  reproaches,  calumnies,  and  malicious 
treating  of  those  who  dissented  from  them,  without 
the  least  discovery  of  a  heart  filled  with  kindness 


142 


and  benignity  unto  mankind,  or  love  unto  any 
BUT  THEMSELVES."  And  this  is  a  specimen  of  the 
common  sentiment. 

I  cannot  leave  this  matter  without  remarking  the 
power  of  education,  especially  with  Friends  !  Their 

MODE  OF  EDUCATION  IS  THE  MAKING  AND  THE  KEEPING 

AND  THE  SECRET  OF  THEIR  SECT.  They  subdue  the 
infant  mind  and  awe  the  infant  conscience,  with  the 
direct  rays  of  the  inward  hght.  They  identify  all 
divinity  and  right,  in  the  associations  of  their  chil- 
dren, with  the  light  within  and  its  friendly  fruits. 
Here  the  spell  commences  that  "  grows  with  their 
growth  and  strengthens  with  their  strength."  In- 
vestigation is  much  akin  to  scepticism  and  so  is 
devoutly  precluded  : — but  what  worse  scepticism  it 
is  to  suppose  that  investigation  could  rase  the  foun- 
dation of  our  faith  !  They  must  take  every  thing 
for  granted  or  see  it  in  the  light !  They  must  wear 
a  ridiculous  cut  and  color  of  clothes,  such  as  are  or- 
thodox or  common  to  the  clanship ;  and  use  the  plain 
language,  and  act  like  Friends  :  and  then  if  they 
feel  awkward  and  foolish  ;  if  their  garb  appear  ridi; 
culous  to  themselves  ;  if  their  manners  expose  them 
to  jeering  and  affront ;  if  they  are  insolently  struck 
(as  I  have  often  been)  in  the  street  by  worthless  boys 
and  cursed  as  "  a  Quaker  ; "  if  their  effeminate  holy 
whine  is  profanely  mocked — as  it  often  is  by  saucy 
passengers  ;  and  if  a  thousand  other  inconveniences 
accrue  ;  especially  if  they  are  sometimes  asked  for 
one  good  reason  for  such  singularity  in  gratuitous 
opposition  to  mankind,  they  must  just  bear  it  all  for 
righteousness^  sake ;  not  be  afraid  of  the  cross,  but 


143 


remember  early  friends,  how  much  more  they 
endured  in  the  same  cause !  Now,  much  of  this, 
which  they  call  "a  guarded  education,"  is  just  the 
worst  kind  of  sorcery.  It  is  fascination  and  religious 
tyrannizing  over  the  blighted  attributes  of  mind  ! 
It  is  a  system  exactly  calculated  to  prostrate  every 
noble,  courageous  and  manly  sentiment ;  and  to 
transmute  a  fine]  ingenuous  boy  into  a  sorry,  sly, 
and  often  simulating  creature  in  the  form  of  man. 

'Tis  liberty  alone  that  gives  the  flower 
Of  fleeting  life  its  lustre  and  perfume  ; 
And  we  are  weeds  without  it.    All  constraint, 
•         Except  what  wisdom  lays  on  evil  men, 
Is  evil;  hurts  the  faculties;  impedes 
Their  progress  in  the  road  of  science  ;  blinds 
The  eyesight  of  discovery  ;  and  begets, 
In  those  that  sufl^er  il,  a  sordid  mind. 
Bestial,  a  meagre  intellect,  unfit 
To  be  the  tenant  of  man's  noble  form  . — Cowfer. 

The  strength  of  the  educational  influence  is  won- 
derful. It  is  so  identified  with  the  voice  of  God 
speaking  in  them,  at  them,  to  them,  and  [through 
them ;  and  that  constantly  and  audibly  ;  that  its 
witchery  is  unparalleled.  Hence  it  is  almost  impos- 
sible by  any  means  to  break  the  charm,  where  once 
it  has  gained  a  commanding  influence  in  early 
life  !  The  power  of  association,  the  homogcneous- 
ness  of  the  scheme,  the  visible  uniform  in  which 
they  always  appear,  their  peculiarities  of  language 
and  behavior,  their  family  interests  and  relation- 
ships, with  innumerable  other  matters,  all  unite  to 
make  an  influence  and  an  atmosphere  of  the  sect, 


144 


which  they  easily  identify  with  goodness  and  hea- 
ven, and  from  which  it  is  next  to  impossible  to 
escape.  Hence  in  general  to  be  born  a  Friend  is 
to  die  a  Friend.  Argument,  evidence,  truth,  may 
all  be  against  them  in  vain :  they  feel  it  not,  they 
know  it  not :  and  there  they  are,  stagnant  and  im- 
movable. This  is  a  portentous  character  of  the  sys- 
tem, and  ought  to  make  especially  the  young  to 
pause  and  consider!  When  I  look  back  on  that  in- 
fluence as  it  affected  me,  my  feelings  are  unuttera- 
ble : — I  have  never  spoken  or  written  their  intensity  ! 
I  bless  "  the  only  wise  God  "  that  I  am  not  what  I 
was,  a  Friend  !  By  this  however  I  do  not  mean  that 
I  had  any  "  godly  sincerity "  or  did  my  duty  ac- 
cording to  knowledge,  while  one  of  them.  So  far 
from  this,  I  then  knew  that  I  was  no  christian,  and 
felt  that  I  was  unfit  to  die  ;  inasmuch  as  I  often  and 
even  habitually  acted  contrary  to  the  "  light  within :" 
by  which  I  now  mean  only  my  natural  conscience 
armed  against  me,  as  it  was,  with  a  very  superficial 
knowledge  of  the  scriptures.  I  did  however  believe 
that  Quakerism  and  Christianity  were  just  the  same ; 
and  so  deep  were  my  convictions  in  favor  of  the 
scheme,  that  the  operation  of  scripture,  in  that  re- 
spect revolutionizing  my  mind,  was  truly  agonizing. 
It  was  also  difficult  and  terrible  !  To  find  one's  self 
wholly  wrong  in  first  principles ;  to  see  the  necessity 
of  repentance ;  to  renounce  all  the  hallowed  and 
long  habituated  associations  of  infancy  and  child- 
hood ;  to  see  scripture  every  where  contradicting 
what  you  before  knew  to  be  true ;  and  to  embrace 
"that  which  is  good"  after  "proving  all  things:" 


145 


what  is  this  but  difficulty  and  anguish  !  The  sys- 
tem ought  to  be  right  that  so  rivets  its  principles 
to  the  very  being  of  its  disciples  !  It  ought  to  be 
right,  for  it  is  very  seldom  renounced  at  all ;  and 
much  more  seldom  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ ! 
It  ought  to  be  right,  for  otherwise  all  its  present 
votaries  will  probably  live  and  die  in  error  :  so  great 
the  power  of  educational  religious  prejudice  ;  I 
feel  it  to  this  day  !  I  never  see  a  very  'plain  garb, 
without  some  of  the  reverent  associations  of  child- 
hood : — it  looks  so  good,  so  patriarchal,  so  inspired! 
This  proves  only  the  power  of  education  in  general, 
and  of  religious  education  in  particular,  and  of  early 
religious  education  more  especially,  as  it  does  not 
prove  that  Friends  are  right  in  the  lessons  of  religion 
which  they  inculcate  !  A  Friend  is  ordinarily  made 
before  he  is  live  years  of  age  !  the  stamp  of  charac- 
ter is  impressed  on  a  yielding  surface  so  deeply,  and 
so  seemingly  by  the  hand  of  God  himself,  that  its 
print  is  indelible  !  This  I  call  the  cement  and  the 
secret  of  their  system.  In  addition  to  this  all  their 
children  are  born,  not  spiritually  but  naturally,  into 
full  birth-right  membership !  and  it  needs  no  evan- 
gelical regeneration  or  subsequent  profession  to 
constitute  the  finished  Friend  ;  which  a  child  com- 
monly becomes,  as  soon  as  he  becomes  of  mature 
age.  But  when  some  are  recreant  to  the  light,  and 
sin  against  the  costume  and  other  ordinances  and 
sacraments  of  the  society,  they  are  still  Friends  in 
their  consciences — in  their  associations — in  their 
convictions  !  They  were  made  such  without  cate- 
chism, intelligence,  or  evidence.    In  some  solemn 

19 


146 


flashes  of  the  light,  they  felt  its  reality  and  they 
know  (no  religionists  speak  more  confidently)  that 
it  is  true.  If  ever  they  refomi,  it  will  be  of  course 
according  to  all  the  formalities  and  usages  of 
Friends ;  now  they  are  gay  and  dissipated,  but 
they  are  still  Friends  : — and  education  has  decided 
their  creed  !  Hence  a  Friend  is  always  established 
and  unalterable  ;  and  this  without  examination, 
without  knowledge,  and  (I  fear)  without  prayer! 
Hence  he  never  changes,  but  plods  onward  and  dies 
as  he  lives — a  Friend !  In  this  Friends  often,  very 
often,  glory.  If  a  man  is  once  made  acquainted 
with  Friends'  principles,  say  they,  he  can  never 
wholly  "  get  rid  of  it."  Of  this  I  have  often  been  my- 
self reminded  !  And  in  general  it  is  truth  !  But  is 
this  any  argument,  or  one  of  their  best,  for  the  truth 
of  their  system  ?  It  may  prove  the  strength  of 
false  and  early  and  habituated  impressions  alone ! 
It  may  prove  that  the  system  has  nothing  to  do  with 
evidence  ;  that  it  is  purely  mechanical,  and  that  it 
only  enslaves  its  disciples  :  it  may  prove  that  the 
whole  concern  is  nothing  better  than  an  organized 
system  of  prejudice.  Such  a  process  may  make 
Friends,  just  as,  in  a  change  of  circumstances,  it 
also  makes  Deists,  Mahommedans,  Jews,  Romanists^ 
Pagans,  or  even  Atheists !  Now,  it  is  a  known 
principle  in  the  philosophy  of  mind,  that  a  man  can 
seldom  be  by  evidence  corrected  from  that  course 
of  which  he  was  not  by  evidence  convinced  ;  he  can- 
not be  reasoned  out  of  error,  if  he  was  not  at  first 
reasoned  into  it !  If  it  were  reasoning  that  makes 
an  infidel,  reasoning  could  much  more  convert  him. 


147 


But  when  passion,  pride,  prejudice,  education,'per- 
sonal  influence,  social  sympathies,  interest,  fashion, 
worldly  considerations,  or  profligacy,  or  a  combina- 
tion of  such  causes,  make  for  a  man  his  principles 
or  persuasion  in  religion,  he  is  ordinarily  shut  against 
the  light  of  evidence  ;  he  is  proof  to  the  truth  and 
the  grace  of  the  gospel.  His  soul  is  the  victim,  and 
heaven  the  forfeiture  !  and  justly,  for  no  man,  young 
or  old,  has  a  right  to  believe  without  evidence, 
and  to  be  led  by  mere  dictation,  in  the  awful  mat- 
ters of  salvation  and  eternity  !  God  has  furnished 
us  with  full  and  perfect  evidence  of  his  own  being 
and  perfections  ;  of  his  ways  of  administration  with 
men  ;  and  of  the  unalterable  principles  of  his  moral 
empire  ;  of  the  person  and  offices  of  his  Son,  and  of 
the  only  way  of  salvation  "  through  his  blood  "  and 
by  faith  in  his  name !  And  "  how  shall  we  escape, 
if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation  1" 

I  do  not  however  deny  that  there  are  good  things, 
such  as  they  are,  in  the  style  of  education  adopted 
by  Friends.  There  are  many  good  things  in  it — 
for  the  present  world,  which  would  be  infinitely 
better,  were  it  not  for  the  world  to  come !  They 
make  their  children  commonly  industrious,  orderly, 
economical,  tender  in  their  affections,  obedient  to 
parents,  regular  in  their  habits,  moderate  in  their 
desires,  comfortable  in  their  dwellings,  and  respec- 
table— often  rich !  in  society.  This  they  do  in  a' 
certain  form,  to  a  good  degree,  and  with  a  fearful 
amount  of  degenerate  exceptions  not  equally  recog- 
nised hy  ordinary  observers.  But  what  is  all  this 
to  an  immortal,  who  must  obey  the  gospel  of  Jesus 


148 


Christ  or — perish  for  ever !  What  is  all  this,  if, 
with  so  much  of  temporal  convenience,  they  un- 
dermine the  welfare  of  his  soul  and  effectually  pre- 
judice him  against  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ'? 
What  of  all  this,  if  they  have  given  him  principles 
of  religion  perfectly  incorrigible  and  fundamentally 
wrong  \  They  have  done  him  the  greatest  possible 
disservice,  which  is  all  the  worse  for  the  good  things 
that  accompany  it. 

Friends  have  one^advantage  in  respect  to  repu- 
tation, touching  apostates  and  delinquents  of  the 
society  "  disowned,"  which  is  peculiar  to  them- 
selves. Their  degenerate  sons  forego  the  costume, 
and  so  exonerate  the  society.  Hence  their  relation 
to  Friends,  being  no  longer  advertised  along  the 
streets,  in  "  plainness  of  speech,  behavior,  and  ap- 
parel^''  becomes  as  though  it  was  not  or  had  never 
been.  Thus  the  public  in  effect  grant  them  total 
irresponsibility  in  this  matter;  and  judge  of  them  as 
if  their  best  appearing  specimens  were  all ;  and  so 
frame  all  their  associations  in  their  favor.  In  the 
mean  time.  Souvenirs,  and  Tokens,  and  Amulets, 
and  all  the  harpings  of  semi-pagan  minstrelsey  and 
popular  sentimentalism,  the  sickliness  of  refined  re- 
ligion that  proposes  a  way  to  heaven  less  vulgar 
than  that  of  "  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  to- 
ward our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;"  all  these  influences 
report  them  well,  and  view  them  as  moving  citadels 
of  light  and  purity. 

The  Quaker  stood  under  his  smooth  broad  brim. 
In  the  plain  drab  suit,  that  simple  and  trim. 
Was  better  than  royal  robes  to  him, 


149 


Who  looked  on  the  inward  part; 
Foregoing  the  honors  and  wealth  of  earth  ; 
And  emptied  his  breast  of  the  praise  of  birth, 
To  seek  the  treasures  of  matchless  worth 

Reserved  for  the  pure  in  heart. — Extracted. 

In  effect,  the  world  is  a  great  forest,  in  which  a  re- 
negade Friend  ensconces  himself,  and  relieves  the 
fame  of  the  society.  Hence  seemingly  they  have  no 
such  characters.  The  individual  instances  that  oc- 
cur, though  terribly  numerous,  are  known  each  by 
a  comparative  few,  and  not  by  the  public.  This  is 
one  cause  of  their  popularity  with  the  superficial, 
the  sceptical,  the  morbidly  sentimental,  and  the 
weakly  charitable — who  seem  to  love  every  thing 
alike  or  at  least  to  profess  that  impracticable  folly. 
How  noble,  as  well  as  different,  is  the  prayer  of  the 
apostle  for  his  Philippian  converts  !  "  that  your  love 
may  abound  yet  more  and  more  in  knowledge  and 
in  all  judgment ;  that  ye  may  approve  (discrimi- 
nate) things  that  are  excellent ;  that  ye  may  be  sin- 
cere and  without  offence  till  the  day  of  Christ ;  be- 
ing filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are 
by  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God." 

There .  is  no  heresy,  says  an  ancient  father,  in 
which,  taken  as  a  whole,  there  is  not  more  of  truth 
than  error !  So,  there  might  be  more  of  food  than 
poison  in  a  fatal  dish,  in  which,  hut  for  the  food, 
the  poison  would  never  be  tasted  ;  still,  the  poison 
is  more  than  sufficient  to  kill :  and  is  the  food  then 
an  advantage  I  This  simile  shows  the  real  state  of 
the  case,  the  gospel  being  umpire.  The  fatal  cha- 
lice of  the  "murderer"  of  souls,  must  be  made 


150 


palatable,  and  is  often  bountiful  and  luxurious  be- 
side :  or,  it  would  not  be  so  eagerly  quaffed  even 
by  the  multitude.  T,  for  one,  little  thank  Quaker- 
ism for  all  its  imposing  worldly  excellencies,  since 
I  am  well  persuaded  that  their  scheme  deprives  me 
of  my  only  glory  and  hope — ^'  Jesus  Christ  and 
him  crucijied/^  and  the  worship  of  God  accord- 
ing to  his  own  authority  and  grace !  Take  from 
me  this — and  I  would  you  could  rob  me  of  ex- 
istence too !  since,  being  without  blessedness,  is 
not  desirable ;  and  blessedness  without  Christ,  is 
impossible  ;  and  Christ  without  his  truth  and  wor- 
ship is  a  vile  illusion.  The  Christ  of  Quakerism 
is  not  the  Christ  of  the  scriptures.  The  gospel 
sends  us  out  of  ourselves  to  Christ  by  faith,  for 
eternal  life  :  Quakerism  sends  us.  feeling  in  the 
dark  for  the  inward  light,  which  is  Christ  in  every 
man  from  the  foundation  of  the  world!  Is  this  the 
Christ  of  the  New  Testament !  I  have  no  words 
with  which  to  express  the  horror  of  my  soul  at  the 
perversion  !  How  many  worldly  good  things  ought 
Quakerism  to  give  us  in  compensation  for  such  a 
robbery  \  I  would  say  to  Quakerism  personified 
with  its  lures,  "  Thy  money  perish  with  thee !  for 
I  perceive  thou  art  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in 
the  bond  of  iniquity !"  Take  Christ  away,  only 
quench  the  glory  of  the  mercy-seat,  only  put  out 
the  sun  of  our  day,  and  all  your  lighted  tapers, 
your  festivity  and  your  friendship,  your  banqueting 
and  merriment,  but  mock  the  melancholy 


Of  liiin  whose  thought  can  stretch  beyond  an  hour. 


161 


I  know  that  all  this  will  appear — poetry,  to  those 
who  prize  not  "  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  Jesus,  my  Lord !"  But  with  them  it  is 
notoriously  an  easy  reckoning  every  day  to  live 
without  him,  forget  him,  and  count  themselves 

rich  and  increased  with  goods  and  in  need  of 
nothing;"  while  they  are  " wji-hout  Christ,  being 
aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  stran- 
gers from  the  covenants  of  promise,  having  no 
hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world."  Eph.  2  :  12. 
And  such  will  say  what  aileth  thee  t  and  compas- 
sionate the  softness  that  can  mourn  for  such  a 
visionary  absence !  "  And  they  say  unto  her,  Wo- 
man, why  weepest  thou'?  She  saith  unto  them. 
Because  they  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and  I 

KNOW  NOT  WHERE  THEY  HAVE  LAID  HIM."  John, 

20  :  13.  These  are  rational  tears,  worthy  of  the 
cheek  of  men  and  angels.  It  is  wisdom  weeping 
at  the  grave  of  hope,  and  trampling  on  sceptres 
and  diadems  !  It  is  immortality  humbled  in  despair, 
and  abhorring  her  sins  while  crushed  beneath  the 
burden !  It  is  penitence  without  pardon,  religion 
without  peace,  holiness  without  salvation !  How 
different  the  light  of  scripture! — the  index-finger 
of  truth  pointing  to  the  Savior !  "  Behold,  the 
Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world." 

By  many  these  pages  will  be  censured  for  their- 
harshness  and  for  utterly  disparaging  the  excel- 
lences of  Friends.    With  respect  to  their  excel- 
lences I  say  comparatively  nothing :  and  this  not 
that  I  either  deny  or  discsteem  them.   Some  quali-  ^ 


152 


ties  they  undoubtedly  possess  that  are  amiable  and 
useful ;  and  I  cordially  wish  that  these,  whatever 
they  are,  were  more  increased,  more  enlightened 
by  "  the  truth  of  the  gospel,"  and  more  widely 
prevalent  in  the  earth.  I  expect  to  be  scarcely 
credited  by  them,  when  I  "  protest  unto  them," 
that  I  am  conscious  only  of  benevolence  to  their 
true  temporal  and  eternal  interests  in  all  that  I 
think,  speak,  or  write,  concerning  their  erroneous 
scheme.  But  whether  they  believe  it  or  not,  God 
is  witness.  If  I  did  not  at  least  fully  believe  that 
my  motives  were  benevolent,  I  should  myself  have 
no  hope  toward  God.  But  my  hope  is  happy  and 
my  faith  perpetually  gathering  strength.  I  have  a 
hope,  which,  in  degree  of  excellence  at  least,  I  am 
sure  I  could  never  have  derived  from  Quaker  prin- 
ciples. What  then  could  induce  me  thus  to  oppose 
their  scheme  \  Solely  the  conviction  that  it  is  wrong ! 
Why  did  Paul  oppose  Judaism  or  Luther  popery  ? 
They  were  both  benevolent.  "  Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,"  was  associated  in  their  moral  feelings  with 
"  peace  on  earth,  good  will  toward  men."  Yet  we 
see  how  their  good  will  acted  !  It  often  induced 
them  to  expose,  confute,  denounce,  and  even  an- 
athematize, the  corrupters  of  the  gospel.  And  in 
this  they  were  not  less  benevolent,  and  much  more 
self-denying,  than  when  they  were  administering 
consolation  to  the  contrite.  I  speak  not  of  the  ex- 
cellences of  Friends,  because  I  think  they  are  quite 
too  conscious  of  them;  because  they  have  been 
overrated  by  the  world ;  because  they  do  not  ne- 
cessarily imply  piety  toward  God  ;  because,  if  mere 


153 


social  and  apparent  excellence  be  all  they  have,  so 
Jiving  and  so  dying  they  will  perish  for  ever;  be- 
cause their  errors  is  the  grand  matter  which  moves 
me  to  write  at  all;  because  the  things  in  which 
they  are  wrong  are  greater  than  those  in  which  they 
may  be  right;  because  while  they  talk  and  act 
against  vain  amusements,  war,  slavery,  and  spirit- 
ous  liquors,  they  also  talk  and  act  against  the  su- 
premacy of  the  scriptures  as  the  word  of  God,  and 
against  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper,  which  are  most  demonstrably  and  even  evi- 
dently divine  institutions;  because,  while  their  impo- 
sing appearance  is  a  passport  to  the  confidence  of  the 
superficial,  their  carelessness  or  denial  of  the  sanc- 
tity of  "  the  Lord's  day,"  is  a  grief  of  heart  to  the 
most  intelligent  christians ;  while  the  vagueness 
and  vacuity  of  their  confession,  on  fundamental 
articles  of  christian  truth,  as  the  doctrine  of  the 
trinity,  the  person  and  offices  of  the  Redeemer,  the 
value  and  relations  of  the  death  of  Christ  as  con- 
nected with  human  hope,  the  depraved  moral  cha- 
racter of  man,  the  true  doctrine  of  the  influence  of 
the  Spirit,  the  nature  and  the  indispensableness  of 
regeneration,  the  wonderful  divine  method  of  jus- 
tification, the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  the 
eternal  states  of  men ;  the  vagueness  and  vacuity 
of  their  creed,  and  the  imbecihty  or  ambiguity  of 
their  practice,  in  respect  to  points  like  these,  neces- 
sarily and  righteously  induce  the  suspicion,  of  all 
well  informed  and  honest  disciples  of  the  Son  of 
God,  that  they  are  radically  apostate  and  graceless. 
Another  reason  for  the  alleged  omission  is  the  ex- 

20 


154 


treme  sensitiveness  of  the  Quakers  to  the  matter  of 
human  approbation.  I  wisli  we  all  cared  practi- 
cally half  as  much  for  the  approbation  of  God ! 
Any  observer,  who  has  eyed  their  manners  and 
read  their  books,  will  see  how  ill  they  can  endure 
the  moral  frown  of  the  community.  If  public  sen- 
timent were  enlightened  and  humane  in  its  general 
testimony  against  them,  they  could  hardly  maintain 
their  distinctive  character  in  this  country.  Here 
they  pay  no  tithes,  church-rates,  or  other  legal  ex- 
actions, for  the  support  of  the  "  hireling  "  clergy. 
They  have  all  the  immunities  of  citizenship  and  are 
eligible  to  all  the  places  of  eminence  :  and  they 
will  never  (as  I  think  and  hope)  be  persecuted  into 
consequence  by  their  countrymen.  I  am  as  utterly 
and  as  sincerely  averse  to  all  persecution  and  phy- 
sical coercion  on  religious  accounts,  doing  or  suf- 
fering, as  they  are  :  and  do  as  cordially  condemn 
the  wholly  unchristian  persecutions  which  Friends 
have  suffered  in  either  hemisphere.  This,  I  fully  be- 
lieve, is  the  present  sense  of  every  sincere  protest- 
ant.  But  the  value  of  the  truth  is  not  less,  because 
we  have  learned  icholly  to  abjure  the,  use  of  carnal 
weapons  in  its  sliipport.  The  war  must  be  con- 
tinned,  but  the  armor  must  be  of  celestial  tempera- 
ment alone.  Nor  yet,  because  of  this,  are  we  to 
consider  a  truce  with  the  foe  as  expedient,  or  obli- 
gatory, or  allowable.  Christianity  can  never  steal  a 
march  on  the  world  or  succeed  by  ambuscade  or 
skirmishing.  All  she  wins  must  be  by  fair  battle, 
under  the  open  eye  of  day.  She  scorns  conceal- 
ment, treachery,  stratagem.    "  She  challenges  in- 


155 


vestigation  and  defies  refutation."  She  opens  her 
bosom  to  the  foe  ;  and  if  he  will  not  be  conciliated 
to  her  person  and  besought  to  draw  the  precious 
nutriment  of  her  consolations,  he  may  violate  that 
maternal  bosom  with  his  impious  dagger — he  will 
find  it  strangely  invulnerable  to  his  assault.  Only 
his  weapon  and  himself,  will  be  broken. 

The  charge  of  harshness  is  much  in  the  same 
predicament.  If  what  I  have  written  be  justly  styled 
harsh,  my  reasons  for  adopting  that  character  of  dis- 
putation are  the  following. 

1.  The  importance  of  the  matter.  To  doubt  that 
importance  is  to  discredit  all  religion.  Look  at  it 
as  related  to  all  other  religionists  ;  specially  to  all 
who  knowingly  reject  their  doctrine.  They  will  all 
be  lost,  according  to  the  gospel,  if  the  Quaker  doc- 
trine be  true !  for,  he  that  helieveth  not,  shall  he 
damned;  and  they  most  decisively  disbelieve  and 
denounce  it.  On  the  other  hand,  what  will  become 
of  Friends,  with  all  their  placidity,  philanthropy,  and 
high  pretensions ;  if  at  last  it  should  appear  that 
they  had  accredited  "  another  gospel,  which  is  not 
another,"  instead  of  that  of  Christ  1  They  will  all 
be  lost  together  who  have  nothing  better  than  pure 
Quakerism  to  defend  them  from  the  fire !  These 
are  my  convictions ;  and  I  know  that  they  are  just 
as  true  as  the  New  Testament. 

2.  I  really  believe  that  the  plain  attire  and  speech 
of  Friends,  which  give  them  such  a  saintship  of  ap- 
pearance, are  the  veil  that  covers  many  an  aban- 
doned infidel.  I  might  think  this  from  the  nature 
of  the  case.  Externals  cannot  change  the  heart; 


156 


otherwise,  the  "  hirelings  "  of  the  British  estabhsh- 
ment  must  be  as  holy  as  their  vocation,  as  stainless 
as  their  surplice,  as  unsullied  as  their  lawn.  But  I 
know  it  from  actual  converse  with  individuals  !  with 
multitudes,  preachers  of  both  sexes,  as  well  as  their 
commonalty !  and  I  have  yet  to  learn  what  is  the  de- 
finition of  that  INFIDELITY  to  which  Jesus  Christ 
hath  pledged  himself  to  award  damnation,  if  they 
are  not  legitimately  and  most  awfully  in  danger  of 
it !  When  one  of  their  first  preachers  tells  me,  in  per- 
sonal conference,  that  Jesus  Christ  made  no  atone- 
ment ;  that  God  exacts  none  except  what  the  sinner 
makes  with  his  tears ;  and  that  the  resurrection  of 
the  body  is  a  monster  of  absurdity ;  M'hen  he  ridi- 
cules "  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  when  he  doubts  the  miraculous 
conception  of  Christ,  thinks  it  probable  that  Joseph 
was  his  proper  father,  and  at  all  events  considers 
that  to  err  in  this  is  nothing  to  the  sin  of  eating  West 
India  sugar !  When  another  tells  me  that  Ezekiel 
bore  the  sins  of  his  age  just  as  Christ  bore  ours — 
being  melancholy  on  account  of  them  !  When  ano- 
ther takes  a  little  child  and  pronounces  him  "  with- 
out all  sin,  as  holy  as  an  angel,"  while  the  scriptures 
say,  "  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh,  is  flesh ;  ye 
must  be  born  again  :  the  wicked  are  estranged  from 
the  womb ;  they  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be  born, 
speaking  lies :  we  were  by  nature  children  of  wrath, 
even  as  others  ;"  and  while  their  whole  tenor  teaches 
the  "  enmity  of  the  carnal  mind  against  God  :"  when 
all  this,  and  a  million  other  things  in  perfect  keep- 
ing with  this,  are  taught  and  held  by  the  society. 


157 


the  known  holders  and  teachers  uncensured  by  their 
authorities,  I  am  reduced  to  the  fair  necessity  of  con- 
tradicting the  New  Testament,  or  discrediting  the 
piety  of  the  Quakers,  or  defiling  my  conscience  with 
the  charity  of  the  world  which  "  rejoiceth  [not]  in 
the  truth,"  or  abandoning  the  laws  of  rational  thought 
and  evidence. 

3.  Another  reason  for  my  alleged  severity  is  that 
I  believe  they  have  been  greatly  injured  by  a  luscious 
and  spurious  clemency  ;  and  that  nothing  but  "  great 
plainness  of  speech"  and  uncompromising  applica- 
tions of  the  truth,  can  reach  the  seat  of  their  malady. 
They  are  natively  just  as  sinful  as  other  men,  and 
they  equally  require  all  the  specifics  of  the  gospel 
for  their  restoration.  But  who  shall  tell  them  what 
they  are,  and  what  they  must  become,  by  "  repen- 
tance toward  God  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,"  as  the  only  alternative  of  perdition  1  Their 
preachers  have  altered  very  much  since  I  have  heard 
them,  if  they  will  ever  do  this  wisely  and  faith- 
fully !  What  then  is  my  office  1  To  apologize  for  the 
gospel  and  flatter  them  in  the  name  of  the  Lord^ 
"  For  we  are  not  as  many,  who  corrupt  (dilute, 
as  wine  is  artfully  reduced  by  dishonest  mixtures) 
THE  WORD  OF  GOD  :  but  as  of  sincerity,  but  as  of  God, 
in  the  sight  of  God,  speak  we  in  Christ."  I  know 
of  none  who  more  dilute  and  enervate  the  genuine 
discriminating  might  of  the  gospel  than  the  preach- 
ers of  Quakerism,  especially  their  tuneful  female 
preachers.  These  are  frequently  charmers.  They 
sing  their  inspired  fascination,  that  affects  the  phy- 
sical sensibilities,  acts  rather  soothingly  or  in  some 


158 


indefinable  way  on  the  nervous  system,  comforts  the 
unregenerate,  and  instructs  nobody. 

4.  Any  other  course,  than  that  herein  pursued, 
would  do  violence  to  my  own  convictions  of  the  im- 
mutable nature  of  the  gospel  and  of  the  contrariety 
of  Quakerism  to  that  nature  ;  would  afford  no  peace 
to  my  conscience  or  pleasure  to  my  memory.  My 
views  of  the  duty  of  a  preacher  may  be  found  in  the 
second  and  third  chapters  of  Ezekiel,  in  the  first  of 
Jeremiah,  and  in  the  last  four  verses  of  the  second 
of  second  Corinthians.  If  I  have  said  any  thing 
that  is  untrue,  let  it  be  demonstrated,  and  (if  need 
be)  I  will  publicly  confess  and  retract  it !  Not  being 
inspired  or  infallible,  I  may  commit  errors :  and  bound 
to  nothing  but  troth,  I  can  confess  them.  Nothing 
else  shall  move  me.  And  by  demonstration  I  mean 
a  sound  argument  from  scripture  against  the  doc- 
trinal, or  from  witnesses  against  the  historical,  or 
from  self-contradiction  against  the  didactic  aver- 
ments. And  let  no  professor  of  Christianity  join  the 
popular  outcry  against  the  alleged  harshness  of  this 
treatise,  who  is  not  prepared  to  show  its  essential 
contrariety  to  the  religion  of  the  Bible.  There  is 
no  people  in  the  world  who  more  deal  in  softness  or 
are  more  injured  by  it,  than  Friends.  It  is  not  at 
all  my  primary  aim  to  please  them — /  expect  to 
make  them  angry:  hut  this  is  not  my  desire;  it  is 
rather  at  once  my  anticipation  and  my  grief  !  Tell 
me  how  the  truth  of  scripture  can  be  faithfully  dis- 
played against  its  inimical  corrupters  so  as  to  please 
them,  and  that  way  I  would  like  to  adopt :  still,  if 
they  must  be  goaded  with  truth  or  remain  ignorant 


159 


of  its  nature  and  hostile  to  its  charms,  then  1  say  let 
them  feel  it ! 

I  have  called  their  preaching,  especially  that  of 
the  feminine  department,  tuneful ;  for  such  it  emi- 
nently i^ :  operating  like  a  charm,  as  pouring  on  the 
soul  the  freshest  tide  of  heaven's  eternal  minstrelsy, 
through  them.  With  all  their  opposition  to  sing- 
ing, which  they  "  cry  against "  and  by  profession  to- 
tally disuse  in  worship,  I  know  of  few  denominations 
who  do  so  much  at  it,  in  a  sort,  as  Friends.  They 
sing  their  preaching,  and  their  praying — which  sel- 
dom occurs,  almost  all  of  it.  Their  inspiration  moves 
with  difficulty  when  not  on  a  canter.  This  ijispired 
singing,  is  mainly  what  I  mean  by  sorcery,  as  appli- 
ed to  their  ways.  Still,  it  is  a  fact  that  the  effect  of 
their  devout  cantation  is  very  considerable.  It  arrests 
the  attention  and  enchains  the  sympathies  ;  and  is 
quite  entertaining  and  agreeable  often,  while  it  dis- 
penses with  thought-work  and  conscientious  self- 
application.  Friends  might  learn,  one  would  think, 
that  singing  is  natural  to  us ;  that  it  suits  our  con- 
stitution ;  that  it  is  founded  in  principles  that  never 
vary ;  that  its  powers  will  become  adverse,  if  not  con- 
secrated ;  that  God  has  incorporated  it  bot]i  in  the 
body  and  the  soul  of  his  worship  ;  that  its  sanction 
and  its  evidence  pervade  the  whole  Bible  ;  that  it 
deserves  scientific  and  philosophical  cultivation  ; 
,  that  it  is  a  delightful  and  most  excellent  part  of  wor- 
ship ;  that  Jesus  Christ  practised  it ;  that  his  apos- 
tles established  and  regulated  it ;  that  his  church 
has  evermore  maintained  it;  and  that  Fox  and  his 
company  nullified  the  divine  constitution  when  they 


160 


professedly  exploded  it,  with  "  all  sorts  of  music," 
from  their  hearts  and  voices. 

A  great  fault  it  is  in  any  people  which  I  am  now 
about  to  expose  ;  and  common,  wherever  the  truth 
is  not  known  and  duly  honored ;  yet,  more  rife 
among  *'  the  religious  society,"  and  more  embodied 
in  some  sense  surreptitiously  in  their  religious  sys- 
tem, than  among  any  other  description  of  religion- 
ists known  to  me  :  it  is  this — sincerity  is  all. 
The  sophism  consists  in  the  generic  vagueness  of 
the  word  sincerity,  that  determines  nothing  as  to 
the  moral  qualities  of  the  mind  in  religion ;  while 
it  requires  us  to  accord  the  superlative  dignity  of 
christian  character  to  men  "who  obey  not  the  gos- 
pel of  God,"  and  who  insist  on  salvation,  neverthe- 
less, because  they  are  sincere.  This  is  probably 
the  whole  hope,  if  not  the  whole  creed,  and  the 
whole  religion,  of  thousands  of  ungodly  men,  espe- 
cially of  the  foxian  school.  There  are  many  such 
reposing  in  hope  among  Friends.  They  hold  to  the 
word,  as  if  it  were  the  thing;  or  to  the  thing, 
as  if  there  were  possibly  only  one  way  of  being 
sincere — and  no  way  of  going  to  perdition  with 
"  a  lie  in  the  right  hand."  Hence  they  are  se- 
renely comfortable  in  their  graceless  attainments. 
They  apply  their  minds  with  no  intensity  of  ear- 
nestness and  prayer,  to  ascertain  the  truth.  They 
live,  in  numerous  instances,  more  ignorant  of  the 
contents  of  the  Bible  than  many  a  six-year-old 
pupil  of  a  well-taught  infant  school ;  they  are 
imperturbably  satisfied  with  their  own  doings ; 
believe  in  the  "  effectual  operation  "  of  the  light 


161 


within ;  dress  plain,  use  the  plain  language — and 
very  seldom  (whatever  they  smother)  utter  a  word 
of  evil  audibly  ;  desire  to  be  industrious,  lay  by 
something,  be  economical,  grow  rich,  and  dislike 
all  priest-craft  and  hireling  preachers ;  and  being 
sincere,  who  is  better  in  his  prospects  for  another 
world,  one  would  like  to  know  \  Will  such  an  one 
go  to  heaven  at  death  1  "  Straight  as  an  arrow  from 
a  bow,  I  tell  thee."  Certainly  !  How  unjust  to  send 
him  in  the  opposite  direction  !  What  harm  has  he 
done  \  Who  has  a  better  chance  ?  He  was  always 
peaceable,  kind  to  the  poor,  paid  his  debts,  and  was 
a  member  of  Friends'  meeting.  A  pretty  reason 
for  doubting  his  safety,  to  be  sure ! 

The  only  difficulty  is — that  all  this,  though 
"  highly  esteemed  among  men,  is  abomination  in 
the  sight  of  God ;"  being  just  as  far  from  the  truth 
of  the  gospel,  as  darkened  infidelity  can  make  it ! 
Where  is  any  sense  of  our  moral  ruin,  as  fallen  crea- 
tures, "children  of  wrath — that  which  was  lostV 
Where  is  faith  in  Christ  1  Where  repentance,  humi- 
liation, and  the  evidence  of  a  change  of  heart? 
Where  self-knowledge,  religious  experience,  or  spi- 
ritual joy  1  Where  the  Mediator,  the  covenant  of 
grace,  the  succor  of  the  promises  ?  What  distinc- 
tive feature  of  christian  piety  does  such  a  character 
manifest  \  Where  is  there  any  sense  of  sin,  any 
peace  at  its  pardon,  any  mention  of  "  the  only  name 
under  heaven,  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must 
be  saved  V  Where  is  their  professed  faith  in  the 
doctrine  of  regeneration  1  or  are  Friends  all  regen- 

21 


162 


erated  of  course,  because  full  members  that  have 
retained  their  birth-right  to — delusion  1  Suppose, 
by  possibility,  in  any  given  case,  the  individual 
was  at  heart  a  true  and  spiritual  v^^orshipper  ;  and 
is  saved,  as  Job  says  he  escaped  with  the  skin  of 
his  teeth  ;"  still,  the  objections  to  this  facile  favor, 
presumptuous  charity,  and  uniform  construction  of 
safety,  are  two-fold  ;  Jirst,  It  proceeds  with  utterly 
insufficient  evidence,  declaring  what  is  not  proved, 
what  no  man  knows,  and  what,  even  probably,  may 
not  be  true  ;  and  second,  It  is  a  positive,  efficacious, 
insidious,  injury  to  the  living,  without  any  possible 
benefit  to  the  dead.^ 

Still,  they  affect  not  to  know  it,  many  of  them, 
"  I  am  sincere,"  covers  all.  And  there  are  other 
ways,  much  allied  to  the  former,  by  which  they  try 
to  evade  the  responsibility  of  evangelized  men. 
(1)  I  am  conscientious.  (2)  If  this  is  not  duty,  I 
am  not  to  blame,  for  I  know  no  better.  (3)  I  know 
enough  already.  If  a  man  has  more  required  of 
him,  in  proportion  to  his  advantages,  I  shall  only 
increase  obligation  by  increasing  knowledge  :  if 
we  should  all  do,  as  well  as  we  know,  it  would  be 
better  for  us.  They  seem  "  willingly  ignorant  of" 
such  principles  as  the  following  :  that  ignorance 
of  duty  may  result  simply  from  a  sinful  dislike  to  it ; 
that  ignorance  of  duty  is  sin,  where  we  have  the 
means  of  knowledge  ;  that  ail  men  are.  obligated 
TO  KNOW  God,  and  to  improve  all  the  means  in  their 
possession  to  this  infinitely  excellent  end  ; 
1  Cor.  15  :  34,  that  God  will  hold  them  to  account 
not  only  for  all  they  have,  but  for  all  they  might 


163 


have  had,  not  only  for  all  the  sound  sermons  they 
hear,  but  for  all  they  refuse  to  hear,  not  only  for 
attainments  and  achievements,  but  for  facilities  and 
means  and  opportunities  and  privileges,  not  only 
for  what  they  use,  but  for  what  they  abuse ;  that 
their  conscience  is  not  higher  than  his  authority, 
and  not  exempt,  in  any  possible  instance,  from  the 
jurisdiction  of  his  law ;  that  a  man  may  be  to 
blame  for  his  sincerity  as  well  as  his  profligacy; 
that  there  is  no  neutrality  in  religion,  so  that  we  are 
the  enemies  if  not  the  friends  of  Jesus  Christ  ;  that 
sincerity  merely  is  no  proof  of  piety,  since  a  man 
may  be  sincerely  stupid,  and  stupidly  practising  a 
wicked  course  of  conduct ;  that  it  was  sincerity  of 
a  specific  kind,  "  godly  sincerity,"  that  character- 
ized the  apostles;  that  Paul  was  as  sincere  before 
his  conversion  as  he  was  after  it — when  "  breath- 
ing out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against  the  dis- 
ciples of  the  Lord,"  as  when  edifying  them  in 
goodness — when  he  "  verily  thought  with  himself, 
that  he  ought  to  do  many  things  contrary  to  the  name 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  which  things  he  also  did  in 
Jerusalem,"  as  when  preaching  among  the  nations 
"  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ ;"  that  the  time 
has  long  since  arrived  which  the  Savior  predicted, 
"  when  whoso  killeth  his  disciples  shall  think  that 
he  doeth  God  service ;"  that  some  indolent  and 
corrupted  sinners,  infatuated  by  the  judgment  of 
God,  sincerely  "  believe  a  lie,  that  they  all  might  be 
damned  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had  plea- 
sure in  unrighteousness ;"  that  few  penitents  ever 
"repented  themselves"  more  sincerely  than  Judas, 


164 


when  he  "  brought  again  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver 
to  the  chief  priests  and  elders,  saying,  I  have  sin- 
ned in  that  I  have  betrayed  the  innocent  blood  ;  and 
they  said,  What  is  that  to  usl  see  thou  to  that, 
and  he  cast  down  the  pieces  of  silver  in  the 
temple,  and  departed,  and  went  and  hanged  him- 
self;" and  that  there  is  a  perfection  in  the  moral 
government  of  God,  which  such  excuses  will  never 
prevail  to  destroy,  blind  as  they  may  be  to  all 
the  principles  involved  in  that  perfection.  A  prin- 
ciple of  requisition  in  the  government  of  God, 
from  which  he  never  departs,  they  seem  not  to 
know  or  clanishly  to  resist  and  sophisticate — that 
"  without  faith  it  is  ijipossible  to  please  God ;"  and 
that  of  consequence  "they  that  are  in  the  flesh," 
that  is,  who  act  on  carnal  or  worldly  principles,  con- 
tinuing in  them,  "  cannot  please  God ;"  do  what 
they  will  in  forms  of  excellence,  with  such  expec- 
tancy. Rom.  8:  8.  Heb.  11:  6.  James,  1  :  6-8. 
Hence  in  general  they  do  not  understand  the  doc- 
trine of  faith.  The  only  faith  required  in  their  sys- 
tem is  that — in  the  "effectual  operation"  of  the 
internal  principle.  And  what  is  this,  but  faith  in  a 
worse  than  moonstruck  fallacy  \  Hence  the  system 
cheats  the  souls  of  men — cheats  them  of  knowledge, 
of  sound  doctrine,  of  mental  liberty,  of  evidence, 
of  instruction,  of  Christianity;  and  substitutes  a 
thing  of  "will  o'  the  wisp"  dimensions,  that  rose 
from  the  bogs  of  "Drayton  in  the  clay,  Leicester- 
shire," England,  some  two  centuries  since.  If  any 
one  accuse  me  here  of  actually  hating  Quakerism, 
I  beg  he  will  never  attempt  to  prove  his  position ; 


165 


as  it  is  wholly  unnecessary.  My  confession  shall 
forestall  him  :  I  certainly  do  hate  it ;  by  all  the  hope 
of  heaven  that  I  cherish  consciously  in  Christ  Jesus 
at  this  moment,  I  abhor  it ;  by  all  the  love  I  bear  to  the 
souls  of  men,  my  own  and  others,  I  abhor  it ;  by  all 
the  sense  I  have  of  what  Christianity  is,  and  what  the 
scriptures  mean,  and  what  men  infinitely  need  in 
order  to  salvation,  I  renounce  and  execrate  it ;  and 
make  it  a  part  of  my  piety  to  detest  it,  as  a  composi- 
tion of  spiritual  sorcery,  presuming  ignorance,  and 
deceitful  dogmatism  ;  offensive  to  heaven  and  dele- 
terious to  the  noblest  hopes  of  men,  in  "  the  life  that 
now  is  and  also  that  which  is  to  come  :" — and  I 
qualify  the  written  solemnity  only  by  remarking  that 
it  is  wholly  and  only  against  the  system,  and  not  at 
all  against  individuals,  that  it  aims  the  honest  and 
hearty  declaration.  I  have  no  wish  to  "snatch  from 
His  hand  the  balance  or  the  rod,"  who  decides  on 
persons  according  to  truth  ;  can  be  deceived  by  no 
specious  counterfeits ;  has  himself  anathematized 
"  an  angel  from  heaven"  who  should  vend  "  another 
gospel"  or  vitiate  the  true  ;  and  who  has  of  right 
and  of  power  the  independent  sway  of  destinies, 
both  mine  and  theirs.    "  Amen.  Alleluia." 

That  there  is  criminality  in  all  religious  error, 
misanthropy  as  well  as  impiety,  and  essential  sin 
in  cherishing  it,  is  plain  to  any  honest  reader  of  the 
word  of  God,  or  any  common  thinker  on  the  nature 
of  its  contents.  I  can  express  the  truth,  however, 
in  a  better  way,  by  a  quotation  from  my  honored 
friend,  Dr.  Miller.  In  his  excellent  sermon  on  "  The 
enmity  of  the  human  heart  against  the  character  and 


166 


government  of  God,"  published  in  the  Murray- 
street  Discourses,  he  inquires,  "  Does  error 
spring  from  deficiency  of  evidence  1.  Is  there  not,  in 
thp  arguments  by  which  the  scriptures  are  proved 
to  be  divine,  a  variety,  an  amphtude,  adapted  to 
carry  conviction  to  every  mind  not  stupified  by 
passion,  or  rendered  impenetrable  by  prejudice  1 
They  never  have  been,  they  never  can  be,  under- 
mined or  shaken.  And  as  it  regards  the  general 
features  of  the  system  which  the  Bible  has  incul- 
cated, is  it  not  a  reflection  on  the  wisdom  of  him 
from  whom  it  emanated,  and  subversive  of  the 
very  design  of  its  promulgation,  to  say  that  it  can- 
not be  satisfactorily  ascertained,  by  any  diligence  of 
research,  united  with  candor  of  mind  and  purity 
of  moral  feeling  I  Radical  error,  in  one  who  applies 
himself  to  the  study  of  the  sacred  records,  cannot 
arise  from  any  want  of  perspicuity  in  them,  but 
must  be  the  offspring  of  a  heart  hostile  to  that 
Being  who  has  impressed  upon  the  gospel  the 
image  and  superscription  of  his  own  glory.  The 
conclusion  cannot  be  evaded,  but  by  assuming  at 
once  all  the  monstrous  dogmas  of  infidelity."  To 
that  conclusion  I  find  myself  painfull]/  reduced  in 
reference  to  the  erring  system  of  Friends,  whene- 
ver I  ponder  the  affecting  subject — from  which  my 
thoughts  are  almost  never  away  !  Hence  I  judge 
their  "  foundation"  to  be  "  sandy;"  needing  to  be 
"  shaken  "  not  only,  but  utterly  subverted  and  sup- 
planted by  that  of  the  gospel — which  is  another 
SYSTEM  AND  THE  ONLY  SURE  ONE !  Fricuds  are  not 
alone  in  the  magnanimity,  that  likes  truth  onli/ 


167 


when  It  suits  them.  But  among  all  tellurians  or 
lunarians  of  my  acquaintance,  they  are  distinguish- 
ed for  liking  those  that  like  them,  and  liking  no 
others.  Matt.  5  :  46,  47.  To  refute  them,  especially 
if  it  be  unanswerable,  is  a  great  injury.  It  mars 
all  "the  unity  of  the  Spirit"  which  is  identified 
with — their  feehngs  !  and  this  is  the  highest  idea 
that  any  of  them  seem  to  have  of  the  matter.  Their 
feelings  are — inspiration  ! 

I  regard  Quakerism  also  to  be  one  of  the  most 
heavily  oppressive  systems  that  ever  became  preva- 
lent, as  the  voluntarily  cherished  incubus  of  mind. 
"  While  they  promise  them  liberty,  they  themselves 
are  the  servants  of  corruption."  While  they  vaunt 
themselves  peculiarly  free  in  their  mental  action,  it 
is  plain  to  a  dispassionate  observer  of  facts  on  both 
sides,  that  they  are  perhaps  the  most  priest-ridden 
community  in  Christendom.  This  fact  I  know  some- 
what experimentally — contrasting  present  freedom 
with  former  bondage.  The  principles  of  priest- 
craft, properly  such,  are  organized  into  the  very 
structure  of  their  society,  A  few  have  rule  ;  con- 
trol every  thing ;  forestall  argument ;  check  investi- 
gation ;  propound  doctrine  ;  imprison  thought  in 
their  spell  of  influence ;  enunciate  the  last  advices 
of  their  inward  oracle;  tell  how  it  was  with  "early 
Friends  ;"  denounce  all  priest-craft  except  their 
own ;  and  dogmatize  serenely  away  all  wicked  du- 
bitation  and  worldly  propensities  to  examine.  Hence 
mind  is  suffocated  with  smoke,  called  "  light ;"  and 
the  more  "  ductile  "  they  are,  to  the  invisible  mon- 
itor, the  impalpable  fanaticism,  the  most  celestial- 


168 


looking  forgery,  the  more  saturated  are  they  with 
inward  light  according  to  "  the  unity  in  the  silence 
of  all  flesh !"  Hence  the  deception  is  a  perfect  spi- 
ritual fascination  too.  Fox  was,  while  he  lived, 
the  Loyola  of  the  order,  for  authority.  No  con- 
vent was  ever  ruled  more  completely  by  sanctimo- 
nious abbot  or  fastidious  prioress,  than  the  whole 
society  by  a  recent  forgery  from  heaven,  delivered 
by  one  or  more  (for  they  generally  confirm  each 
others'  reports)  male  or  female  functionaries,  in 
great  "  sincerity."  I  have  myself  witnessed  facts 
of  doating  folly  which  it  would  be  sullying  these 
pages  to  rehearse — all  "  sincere,"  I  have  no  doubt. 
In  the  spell  of  this  influence  are  they  all,  more  or 
less  : — except  perhaps  those  hickory  allies,  who 
have  merely  a  nominal  relation  to  the  society,  and 
have  been  educated  with  very  little  of  its  realized 
influence.  The  feminine  venders  are  more  nume- 
rous. Their  spirituality  is  loquacious.  They  see 
more  visions ;  more  frequently  uncover  the  head  to 
usurp  the  headship  of  a  large  assembly :  and  often 
virgin  diffidence  itself,  is  taught  to  deny  itself,  and 
brazen  the  looks  of  promiscuous  thousands,  sono- 
rous and  superior,  infallible  as  the  Delphian  oracle, 
clothed  cap-a-pie  in  spiritual  sincerity,  bronzed  in 
the  holy  impudence,  and  willing  sacrifices  in  the 
cause  of  "  the  light !" 

Priest-craft  may  be  defined — Any  system  of  in- 
fluence, maintained  by  religious  officers  or  others, 
under  the  assumed  sanction  of  the  name  of  God, 
which  is  not  authorized  by  evidence  that  can  be 
demonstrated,  and  which  may  not  be  so  resolved 


169 


into  the  authority  of  God  alone.  According  to  this 
definition,  it  may  be  observed;  1.  That  priest- 
craft IS  AS  OLD  AS  sm ;  and  as  wide,  in  its  seminal 
existence  and  tendencies,  as  the  depravity  of  men. 
They  reason  most  perversely  who  charge  it  m  any 
SENSE  on  Christianity  :  for  (1)  It  ordinarily  abounds 
most  (though  never  most  hated)  where  Christianity 
is  least  known  and  possesses  no  influence.  It  is  the 
very  soul  and  body  of  paganism.  The  Druids,  as 
Caesar's  Commentaries  tell  every  school-boy,  practis- 
ed a  most  perfect  system  in  the  British  Islands,  be- 
fore Christianity,  as  such,  was  known  in  the  world. 
Chaldea,  Egypt,  Troy,  Carthage,  the  cities  of 
Greece,  the  story  of  pagan  Rome,  the  altars  and 
oracles  of  heathenism,  the  facts  of  universal  his- 
tory, and  the  false  worship  of  the  nations  since  the 
age  of  Nimrod,  all  attest  it.  An  illegitimate  spi- 
ritual regency,  a  system  of  imposture  with  its  mys- 
tagogue  or  its  hierophant  its  priest  or  its  priestess, 
in  gorgeous  and  glaring  or  simple  and  "  plain" 
habiliments,  is  the  brief  description  of  false  reli- 
gion in  this  apostate  and  benighted  world.  This  is 
priest-craft.  It  is  the  disguise  of  the  devil  as  the 
great  deceiver  of  the  nations.  But  (2)  How  can 
Christianity  be  oppugned  for  this?  There  is  no 
system  like  Christianity.  It  is  its  own  original.  It 
exposes,  denounces,  execrates,  all  priest-craft ;  and 
has  really  taught  even  infidels  among  us,  all  they 
know  in  principle  against  its  evil  nature  and  im- 
pious usurpations.  I  observe  2.  That  Christianity 
IS  THE  ONLY  CURE  for  priest-craft  in  the 
WORLD.    Man  is  "  a  religious  animal,"  as  philoso- 

22 


170 


phers  tell  us.  It  is  true.  He  has  a  conscience; 
is  a  mass  of  wants  and  fears  ;  is  weak  and  knows 
it,  even  against  his  vanity  and  his  vaunting ;  infers 
by  necessity  the  existence  of  a  superior  power, 
from  the  attestations  of  the  visible  universe ;  is  a 
moral  being  and  a  sinful  one,  and  knows  both — 
even  when  he  oimis  neither ;  as  mutual  censure, 
and  mutual  crimination,  and  mutual  ambition  of 
praise,  every  where  demonstrate :  and  he  will 
HAVE  a  religion  of  some  sort.  All  history  proves  it. 
If  not  the  true,  he  will  have  a  false  one :  and  he 

PREFERS  A   FALSE  ONE  NOTORIOUSLY!     Yet,  juSt  ijl 

proportion  as  you  indulge  his  preference,  you  will 
morally  imbrute  and  degrade  him  ;  you  will  make 
him  servile,  superstitious,  sanguinary  ;  you  will  in- 
dulge priest-craft  of  some  sort,  and  facilitate  the 
irruption  of  every  sort  and  every  degree  of  that 
ruinous  and  soul-murdering  leaven  !  What  shall  we 
do  ?  What  is  the  inference  1  Where  the  alterna- 
tive \  It  is  plain,  as  the  vision  of  angels  to  the 
shepherds  of  Bethlehem ;  sweet,  as  the  music  of 
their  song ;  efficacious,  as  the  salvation  of  their 
Prince :.   Give  him  Christianity  ;  pure,  lucid,, 

full;  AND  MAN  WILL  BE  NEITHER  SLAVE,  NOR  SIM- 
PLETON, NOR  COMPARATIVELY  SINNER.  Christianity 
is  the  grand  cathohcon  ;  the  only  one  under  heaven 
that  deserves  the  name  ;  the  only  one  that  abhors 
all  quackery,  all  false  profession,  all  forged  certifi- 
cates, all  money-making  imposture,  all  abuse  ;  the 
only  catliolicon  that  meets  the  case,  suits  the  wants, 
equals  the  malady,  restores  the  ruin,  answers  the 
intellect,  and  reinstates  the  total  being  of  man  in 


171 


the  perfection  of  his  God.  True,  it  does  not  ope- 
rate mechanically  ;  nor  by  chemical  affinity ;  nor 
by  electrical  conductors ;  nor  by  magical  effect.  It 
is  alone  by  contact  with  the  mind,  that  it  generates 
its  own  transcendent  good,  ft  does  not  profess, 
by  mere  proximity,  or  local  residence,  or  geographi- 
cal classification,  or  pious  ancestral  eminence,  to 
restore  and  save  us.  By  understanding  it,  loving 
it,  doing  it ;  and  in  no  other  way,  are  its  eternal  re- 
storative excellences  divinely  realized  to  a  human 
being.  Where  then  or  when  was  there  ever  a  proper 
instance  of  failure  l  To  understand,  and  love,  and  do, 
its  truth,  is  the  philosophy  of  experimental  religion. 
Where  not  so  entertained,  it  does  not  profess  to  con- 
fer the  benefit.   Whence  I  observe,  once  more,  3. 

That  THE  ONLY  GENUINE  ENEMIES  OF  PRIEST-CRAFT 
ON  THE  GLOBE,  ARE  TRUE  ENLIGHTENED  CHRISTIANS  ; 

and  this,  just  in  proportion  to  their  real  conformity 
to  the  gospel,  that  infallible  institute  of  God.  Hence 
these  are  steadfastly  and  comparably  the  only  friends 
of  diffusing  the  scriptures  ;  of  enlightening  the  peo- 
ple ;  of  circulating  sound  inteUigence  ;  of  multiply- 
ing and  universalizing  the  facilities  of  knowledge  ; 
of  correct  and  manly  reasoning  ;  of  proving  what 
they  hold  and  what  they  teach,  inducing  the  people 
every  where  to  be  "  more  noble  than  those  in  Thes- 
salonica,  receiving  the  word  with  all  readiness  of 
mind,  and  searching  the  scriptures  daily,  whe- 
ther THOSE  things  ARE  SO  ;"  of  exposiug  all  im- 
posture ;  of  having  their  own  credentials  searched  ; 
and  of  having  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  themselves, 
glorified  in  the  salvation  of  men  ;  saying,  "  not  for 


172 


that  we  have  dominion  over  your  faith,  but  are 
helpers  of  your  joy  :  for  by  faith  ye  stand."  Again, 
I  observe,  4.  That  infidels  and  heretics,  great 

AND  SMALL,  ARE  THE  GREATEST  PATRONS  OF  SECTA- 
RIANISM AND  PRIEST-CRAFT  IN  TERRITORIAL  CHRIS- 
TENDOM. This  paradox  is  still  a  truth.  They  are, 
it  may  be,  opposed  to  all  sectarianism — except 
THEIR  OWN ;  since  they  are  themselves  a  sect ;  and 
their  interests  are  as  completely  one  as  were  those 
of  Herod  and  Pilate — when  Christ  is  to  be  put  down 
or  slain  !  Under  their  nominal  guise  of  opposing 
sectarianism,  they  cloak  their  spiritual  theomachy — 
their  opposition  to  all  religion,  and  to  God  himself : 
they  wish  to  put  down  Christianity,  and  put  up  the 
priest-craft  of  infidel  sincerity,  philosophizing  athe- 
ism, and  the  apotheosis  of  reason !  How  silly  the 
victims  of  their  devices!  They  would  take  from 
us  all  the  shield  and  all  the  sword  we  either  have 
or  desire,  against  the  very  priest-craft  of  which  they 
are  the  vaunted  enemies  ;  "the  sword  of  the  Spirit, 
which  is  the  word  of  God,"  and  "  the  shield  of 
faith "  invincible  in  combat.  I  observe  lastly,  5. 
That  Quakerism  is  evidently  a  system  of  dou- 
ble-refined PRIEST-CRAFT.  Its  influence  over 
mind  is  confessedly  as  great  as  that  of  the  ancient 
Druids  or  the  followers  of  any  heretical  delusion 
ever  broached.  Is  it  warranted  1  Is  it  a  legitimate 
influence  Can  it  be  demonstrated  1  Can  they 
"  render  a  reason  "  for  their  towering  pretensions  ? 
Can  they  rationally  resolve  their  spiritual  regime 
into  the  manifest  authority  of  God  1  Is  their  do- 
mination at  one  identically  with  that  of  the  holy 


173 


scriptures  1  Is  Quakerism  Christianity  1  Let  candid 
examination,  attending  dispassionately  to  evidence, 
answer.  As  a  witness,  if  I  may  speak,  I  am  not  afraid 
to  record  that  if  Jesuits  and  Roman  priests  are  in 
favor  of  the  circulation  of  the  scriptures,  and  op- 
posed to  the  maxim  that  "  ignorance  is  the  mother 
of  devotion ;"  if  the  papal  hierarchy  are  not  mainly 
an  organization  of  infidels  ;  if  their  known  priest- 
craft, and  boasted  infallibility,  are  in  favor  of  the 
universal  diffusion  of  knowledge  ;  if  they  are  wont 
to  prefer  evidence  to  authority  ;  and  if  they  allow 
the  right  of  private  judgment  in  religion  ;  then  is 
Quakerism  a  system  of  evidence,  aloof  from  impos- 
ture, and  involving  none  of  the  vital  elements  of 
spiritual  tyranny,  potent  priest-craft,  and  servile 
submission :  then,  and  only  on  those  suppositions, 
is  it  not  a  system  of  imposture.   They  will  say,  this 
is  mere  assertion.    Possibly  not.    However,  some 
argument  may  appear  in  this  treatise.    But  I  speak 
also  with  the  privilege  of  a  witness.    If  I  do  not 
know  both  sides,  namely,  Quakerism  and  Christia- 
nity, it  has  scarcely  been  for  want  of  opportunity  or 
application :  and  I  surely  know  my  accountability. 
Besides,  I  know  the  accountability  of  others.  No 
one  is  obligated  to  believe  what  I  say,  without  evi- 
dence, or  against  it ;  and  no  one  will  reject  truth, 
adequately  shown,  from  whatever  motive,  without 
an  inevitable  responsibility  to  God,  "  But  all  things 
that  are  reproved  (reprovable)  are  made  manifest 
by  the  light :  for  whatsoever  doth  make  manifest, 
IS  LIGHT.    Wherefore  he  saith.  Awake,  thou  that 
sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall 


174 


give  thee  light."  The  word  of  God  makes  manifest. 

Some  will  say,  Why  so  severe  in  the  abstract  1 
We  must  judge  Quakerism  by  its  fruits.  I  answer, 
certainly,  by  its  fruits  ;  but  what  is  to  he  the  crite- 
rion %  The  whim  of  human  softness,  or  the  caprice 
of  the  million,  or  the  philosophy  of  infidels,  or  the 
partiality  of  worldlings,  or  "  the  friendship  of  the 
world  which  is  enmity  against  God  V  or,  his  holy 
word  alone  ^  If  the  latter,  I  fully  consent ;  and  say, 
this  is  exactly  what  I  have  done.  With  the  word  of 
God  for  the  criterion,  I  judge  the  system  ;  and  pro- 
nounce its  fruits  to  be  mystical,  deceptive,  fallacious, 
and  ordinarily  any  thing  but  genuine  Christianity.  I 
sincerely  believe  that — Hickism  is  one  of  the  genu- 
ine fruits  of  Quakerism  ;  and  that  its  common  ap- 
propriate fruits  are  different  in  kind,  and  contrary 
in  nature,  when  compared  with  the  wise,  intelligible 
sober,  practical,  holy,  catholic  fruits  of  Christianity. 
''Judge  not  according  to  the  appearance ;  but  judge 
righteous  judgment:"  and  let  those  who  flatter 
Friends  now,  remember  that  Jesus  Christ  will  call 
them  to  account  for  it  at  a  tribunal  where  flattery 
will  be  shown  to  any  one,  only  as  a  sin  to  be 
branded  and  condemned.  How  specious  is  the 
practising  of  "  them  that  glory  in  appearance,  and 
not  in  heart !"  How  imposing  is  their  glorying  ; 
how  superficial ;  how  irradiate  with  the  glare  that 
betokens  "  an  angel  of  light !"  But  what  right  has 
an  impenitent  or  unconverted  sinner,  no  matter  how 
'  plain'  and  no  matter  who,  to  arrogate  the  prero- 
gatives of  the  children  of  God  !  to  vaunt  as  if  any 
thing  was  good  enough,  as  a  substitute  or  an  equi- 


115 


valent,  for  a  changed  and  sanctified  heart — a  heart 
purely  at  "  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  1"  Let  men  beware  of  democracy  in  re- 
ligion !  Christianity  is  not  a  republic,  but  a  king- 
dom. It  is  an  eternal  theocracy  ;  and  monarchists 
alone  can  constitute  its  subjects.  Reader,  surren- 
der your  heart,  your  mind,  your  being,  fiducially,  to 
the  Prince  eternal,  "  on  whose  head  are  many 
crowns ;"  accept  his  salvation  in  cordial  obedience 
to  the  truth,  and  yours  it  is  for  ever  !  O — will  you  I 
It  may  be  thought  that  what  is  here  exhibited, 
and  the  manner  of  it,  betrays  a  degree  of  confidence 
that  wise  men  will  only  compassionate  ?  What  can 
/  expect  to  effectuate  1  What  does  it  imply  that  I 
should  think  to  assail  with  effect  a  structure  that 
has  stood  the  brunt  of  intellectual  chieftainship  for 
so  many  generations  1  Will  Quakerism  go  down 
now,  because  I  write  1  To  all  this,  I  answer — My 
confidence  is  indeed  singular  and  very  steadfast ; 
but  its  nature  perhaps  and  its  objects  may  not  be 
well  understood.  I  would  ask  the  curious  and  the 
penetrating,  and  especially  the  judicious  christian, 
to  resolve  these  questions :  Is  it  confidence  in  my- 
self, or  the  cause,  that  is  here  exemplified  I  in  any 
thing  of  my  own,  as  such;  any  thing  to  which  I  am 
sufficient  as  of  myself;  any  thing  that  is  to  hap- 
pen as  the  mere  result  of  what  J  can  do  1.  Or  is  it 
confidence  in  God?  I  trust  in  God  aloixe— in  his 
truth  and  his  cause  :  in  his  purposes  and  prophecies 
and  providences  and  promises — that  quadruple  al- 
liance of  faith,  that  everlasting  and  harmonious 
chain  of  strength  omnipotent,  in  which  to  confide 


176 


is  simple  and  happy  piety.    "  There  is  no  restraint 
to  the  Lord  to  save  by  many  or  by  few.    Be  not 
afraid  of  sudden  fear,  neither  of  the  desolation  of 
the  wicked,  when  it  cometh :  for  the  Lord  shall  be 
thy  confidence,  and  shall  keep  thy  foot  from  being 
taken. — I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  who 
strengtheneth  me.  Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord  ; 
trust  also  in  him  ;  and  he  shall  bring  it  to  pass. 
Rest  in  the  Lord,  and  wait  patiently  for  him  ;  fret 
not  thyself  because  of  him  who  prospereth  in  his 
way,  because  of  the  man  who  bringeth  wicked  de- 
vices to  pass.    Delight  thyself  also  in  the  Lord ; 
and  he  shall  give  thee  the  desires  of  thy  heart." 
Under  God,  my  confidence  is  in  the  display  of  his 
truth,  as  that  chosen  instrumentality  by  which  emi- 
nently he  works.     I  have  endeavored  to  explain 
several  very  important  passages  of  scripture,  in  their 
true  and  native  meaning — and  am  sure  that  if  in 
these  I  have  succeeded  as  an  interpreter,  I  have 
carried  the  point  as  a  polemic.  The  reason  is — the 
strength  of  the  word  of  God  !   Till  these  scrip- 
tures, to  which  I  now  refer,  are  just  shown  to  be 
falsely  expounded,  I  shall  calmly  view  the  victory 
as  won  ;  and  give  all  the  glory  to  him  to  whom  I 
resign  the  arbitration  of  events,  with  pure  satisfac- 
tion in  his  government.  To  the  exposition  of  these 
texts  mainly  would  I  invoke  the  attention  of  the 
inquisitive  reader  ;  for,  after  all,  what  God  has  spo- 
ken, and  what  he  means,  are  the  decisive  matters. 
"  The  word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever.  There 
is  no  wisdom,  nor  understanding,  nor  counsel, 
against  the  Lord."  And  hence  it  is  that  "  a  false 


177 


witness  shall  perish ;  but  the  man  that  lieareth, 
speaketh  constantly  ;"  i.  c.  he  speaks  with  decision 
and  uniform  steadfastness,  because  he  listens  and 
learns  of  God.  I  will  here  request  the  serious  reader 
0?'  To  keep  his  Bible  at  hand,  and  peruse  carefully 
THE  PASSAGE  AND  ITS  CONNECTION,  in  everifcasc  where 
the  allusion  is  important  or  the  explanation  at- 
tempted at  length.    He  will  thus  be  better  qualified 
to  judge  of  what  is  truth ;  and  to  see  "  if  those 
things  are  so,"  which  he  will  find  declared :  and  if 
they  are,  and  he  be  really  a  serious  reader,  he  will 
be  too  wise  to  blame  so  poor  a  worm  as  I  am,  who 
liad  no  agency  in  the  matter,  for  what  the  scrip- 
tures teach  !    He  must  then  settle  the  controversy 
with  God — till  wiiich  be  seen  and  felt,  tenderly  and 
deeply,  by  a  man,  he  will  ordinarily  play  the  fool  in 
sacred  concerns,  both  in  his  censure  and  his  praise, 
his  cavilling  and  his  commendation.    "  And  what 
are  we  1  Your  murmurings  are  not  against  us,  but 
against  the  Lord."    I  add  that  in  the  scriptural 
positions  is  all  the  ultimate  strength  of  this  treatise. 
If  these  are  valid — so  is  the  cause  which  they  sup- 
port.   Till  these  are  refuted,  it  is  impossible  to  do 
any  thing  effectual  in  opposition  to  the  publication. 
Till  they  are  refuted  nothing  is  done  for  Friends 
and  their  cause. Hence  a  man  is  scarcely  com- 
petent to  condemn  this  work,  whatever  his  general 
sense,  or  fame,  or  station,  unless  he  possesses  pro- 
bably the  following  qualifications  :  1.  He  must  have 
a  correct  and  thorough  knowledge  of  scriptural 
truth ;  2.  He  must  know  in  full  comparison  what 
Quakerism  is ;  3.  He  must  be  prepared  to  judge 

23 


'■1. 

178 

RELIGIOUSLY,  aiid  iiot  IVoiii  aiiy  worldly  motives,  be- 
tween Christianity  and  Quakerism  as  here  display- 
ed. Friends  can  find  worldly-wise  men,  superficial 
and  interested  persons,  venal  and  capricious  editors, 
plenty  of  them,  and  perhaps  some  persons  illus- 
trious in  the  world — "  in  form  and  gesture  proudly 
eminent,"  and  even  some  weak  and  facile  religion- 
ists of  different  denominations,  to  side  with  them, 
and  condemn  any  publication  that  honors  the  su- 
premacy of  truth  and  vindicates  the  scriptures  im- 
partially as  "  the  word  of  God."  But  all  this  will 
avail  them  nothing,  so  long  as  the  expounded 
quotations  of  scripture  are  obviously  against  them. 
For  the  rest — I  trust  in  God  ;  leaving  all  in  his 
hand,  feeling  my  own  weakness  and  deep  unwor- 
thiness  in  his  sight ;  and  praying  that  he  would 
deign  to  make  useful  what  I  have  written  ! 

A  class  of  thinkers  there  is,  some  of  them  of 
considerable  consequence  in  life,  to  whom,  antici- 
pating their  estimate  of  this  work,  I  would  venture 
a  respectful  caution.  They  are  men  of  manners 
and  of  mind,  of  influence  and  reading,  of  great 
social  respectability  and  general  soundness  of  intel- 
ligence, of  professional  eminence  or  retired  dignity, 
of  experience  in  the  things  of  the  world  and  of 
large  observation  in  human  affairs :  in  short,  they 
are  men  for  whose  opinion  on  almost  any  subject, 
the  public  would  be  willing  to  yield  their  confidence 
in  anticipation.  But  are  they  equally  competent  to 
judge  and  to  pronounce  on  the  subject  of  religion? 
'on  that  etherial  theme  of  themes,  that  is  of  its  own 
class,  its  own  eminence^  its  own  criterion  I  Here  is 


179 


die  blunder  exactly  that  some  great  men  make : — 
religion  is  the  only  subject,  we  may  say,  which  they 
do  not  understand ;  which  they  have  never  patiently 
and  impartially  and  thoroughly  examined :  the  only 
subject  concerning  which  they  venture  to  pronounce 
presumptuously  !  And  is  it  the  only  subject  that  is 
worthy  of  their  neglect  1  It  is  here  too,  and  here 
alone  comparatively,  that  they  are  wayward  and 
intractable ;  suspecting  the  motives,  and  overlook- 
ing the  demonstrations,  of  those  who  kindly  wish 
to  help  them  in  the  paramount  concern,  and  who 
(even  on  the  humble  principle — ne  sutor  ultra  cre- 
pidem^^)  are  quite  competent  to  the  task.  They 
are,  it  may  be,  speculative  believers  ;  semi-converts ; 
and  willing  to  pass  in  religion  for  considerably 
more  than  they  are  worth  !  By  what  STANDARD 
DO  THEY  JUDGE Demonstrably  by  a  false  one  ;  one 
condemned  by  the  law  of  God,  and  preparing  for 
the  scorn  of  demons  in  the  day  of  judgment !  "  For 
the  preaching  of  the  cross  is  to  them  that  perish, 
foolishness ;  but  unto  us  who  are  saved,  it  is  the 
power  of  God.  For  it  is  written,  I  will  destroy  the 
wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  will  bring  to  nothing  the 
understanding  of  the  prudent.  Where  is  the  wise  1 
Where  is  the  scribe  1  Where  is  the  disputer  of  this 
world  1  Hath  not  God  made  foolish  the  wisdom  of 
this  world  !"  With  all  their  glorious  intellection  and 
envied  superiority,  they  never  can  comprehend  the 
nature  of  evangelical  humility,  or  the  way  of  "  life  " 
and  the  only  way  revealed  "  as  it  is  in  Jesus,"  or 
the  principles  of  vital  piety  ascendant.  They  are 
described,  if  they  did  but  recognise  their  own  like- 


180 


ness,  in  many  places  of  the  scriptures  ;  as  "  heady, 
high-minded,  lovers  of  pleasures  more  than  lovers 
of  God  ;  having  a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying 
the  power  thereof ;  ever  learning  and  never  able 

TO  COME  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  THE  TRUTH."  Of 

them  is  the  order  of  God  to  his  ministers,  and  his 
people  too  ;  "  From  such  turn  away  !"  that  is,  as  I 
understand  it,  keep  away  from  their  influence  ; 
mark  them  as  such  and  let  your  estimate  of  them 
be  independent  of  popular  appraisement ;  keep 
distant  from  their  power  and  their  society,  as  aware 
of  their  seductive  qualities,  unless  when  and  where 
you  may  possibly  do  them  good ;  as  the  physician 
frequents  the  places  of  infection,  not  that  he  may 
catch  the  disease,  but  if  possible  assist  or  administer 
the  cure.    But  in  the  supreme  concern,  how  great 
the  fatuity  of  these  intellectual  nobles  !   How  they 
elaborate  their  own  confusion  and  rush  to  the  ca- 
tastrophe of  all  their  greatness!   How  they  dupe 
their  own  understandings  in  religion,  expecting 
God  to  defer  to  them  and  provide  some  special 
conveyance  for  their  dignified  transmission  to  hea- 
ven !  the  vulgar  way — would  be  shocking  and  in- 
tolerable to  think  of!   Yes,  here  in  this  country  of 
no  stereotyped  nobility,  or  hereditary  grandeur,  or 
names  of  heraldic  eminence,  it  is  becoming  more 
and  more  a  desideratum  with  this  class,  to  have  a 
RELIGION  FOR  GENTLEMEN  ;  onc  fit  for  scholars  and 
dignitaries ;  one  that  can  be  sustained  without  all 
vulgarizing  or  mingling  with  the  herd  ;  one  that 
will  be  competent  to  opulence  and  philosophy — and 
that  shall  intoxicate  also  the  pretension,  the  pe- 


181 


« 


dantry,  the  insolent  ambition,  of  all  the  underlings 
and  upstarts  and  tributaries  in  the  community !  To 
all  which,  I  would  only  oppose  the  naked  point  of 
"  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,"  radiating  with  more  than 
electrical  efficiency :  "  Let  no  man  deceive  himself. 
If  any  man  among  you  seemeth  to  be  wise  in  this 
world,  let  him  become  a  fool,  that  he  may  be  wise. 
For  the  wisdom  of  this  world  is  foolishness  with 
God.  For  it  is  written,  He  taketh  the  wise  in  their 
own  craftiness.  And  again.  The  Lord  knoweth 
the  thoughts  of  the  wise,  that  they  are  vain." 

One  of  the  wisest  things  perhaps  which  such 
men,  the  best  of  them,  can  say,  is  what  one  of 
them  (now  in  thought — for  whom  I  cherish  more 
than  mere  respect)  has  substantially  said,  on  this 
general  subject;  nor  do  I  aver  that  there  is  no  wis- 
dom in  it :  "  The  clergy  will  not  give  the  Quakers 
credit  for  their  real  improvement ;  nor  recognise 
their  certain  melioration ;  nor,  it  seems,  permit 
them  to  grow  better ;  nor  let  them  alone."  To  all 
this,  I  reply;  that  it  seems  to  me  to  be  in  the  case 
the  mere  wisdom  of  a  liberally  educated  pagan  ! 
no  knowledge  of  Christianity ;  no  perception  of 

THE   GRAND  CRITERION  IN  RELIGION  THE  LAW  OF 

God  and  the  truth  of  his  gospel;  no  justice 
done  or  allowed  to  the  motives  of  benevolence, 
that  would  rouse  the  sleeper  in  a  house  on  fire  ; 
no  spirituality ;  no  sense,  no  truth,  no  goodness ; 
but  merely  the  superficial  views  of  worldlings, 
elegantly  temporizing,  and  talking  as  if  religion 
were  not  the  terra  incognita  of  their  travels,  their 
investigations,  and  their  discoveries  !    As  for  the 


182 


'  improvement'  of  Friends,  to  what  does  it  all 
amount  religiously,  if  they  are  7iot  on  the  founda- 
tion, the  only  one  that  God  has  laid  in  Zion  ?  If 
they  give  no  proper  evidence  of  this,  it  is  real  mis- 
anthropy, and  not  the  wisdom  of  the  kingdom  or  of 
the  King,  to  "  let  them  alone  !"  They  will  not  be 
let  alone  in  the  day  of  judgment;  why  should  they 
in  the  day  of  mercy !  Besides,  the  declivity  of 
things,  or  "  the  course  of  this  world,"  is  not  "  the 
way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life."  Things  do  not 
meliorate  toward  heaven  by  neglect,  or  self-prompt- 
ing. Men  are  saved  in  contravention  of  "  the 
course  of  this  world  ;"  and  not  by  drifting  with  its 
tide.  No  man  grows  better  by  abandonment  of  the 
appointed  means  of  grace.  "  Ephraim  is  joined  to 
idols :  LET  HIM  ALONE."  And  what  is  this,  but  the 
dirge  of  his  soul  \  Let  Friends  accept  the  Savior, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  cordially,  intelligently,  as 
revealed  in  "  the  lively  oracles "  of  "  grace  and 
truth  ;"  and  let  them  abjure  their  folly  and  their 
mysticising  fantasy,  for  the  scriptures,  as  "  the  word 
of  God,"  honestly  acknowledged,  and  as  their 
HIGHEST  RULE  IN  RELIGION,  devoutly  lov- 
ed :  and  then  let  the  clergy  be  blamed  if  they  do 
not  rejoice  over  them,  with  the  angels  of  God  ! 
Otherwise,  you  blame  the  clergy  for  their  fidelity 
alone  !  for  their  invincible  attachment  to  the  gospel ! 
for  their  immutable  preservation  of  an  eternal  testi- 
mony !  for  their  plainly  unpopular  adhesion  to  the 
truth  !  For  one,  and  with  no  strong  hold  on  time, 
and  consequently  no  known  motive  or  prospect  of 
worldly  advantage,  I  can  declare  that  it  would 


183 


sweetly  sooth  the  last  or  any  other  hour  of  my  hfe, 
and  give  a  new  dehght  to  my  song  of  triumph  in  re- 
demption by  Jesus  Christ,  could  I  think  that  the 
whole  society,  or  any  number  of  them,  were  becom- 
ing genuine  converts  to  the  faith  of  the  gospel !  1 
feel  more — but  cannot  express  it. 

"  Visions  of  glory"  throng  my  cherished  sight, 
And  "  unborn  ages  crowd  "  upon  "  my  soul !" 

One  other  sentiment,  common  among  the  general 
class  I  have  described,  deserves  animadversion.  It  is 
this  :  *  A  man  ought  not  to  change  his  religion  ;  es- 
pecially the  rehgion  of  his  ancestors,  the  religion  in 
which  he  has  been  educated,  and  in  which  all  his 
social  relations  and  domestic  sympathies  reside.' 
This  is  very  specious  ;  it  appears  very  amiable  ;  it 
is  quite  full  of  respect  for  temporal  convenience  and. 
homeborn  tranquility :  and  it  is  perhaps  one  of  the 
most  common,  really  influential,  flatly  unchristian, 
and  mostly  incorrigible,  principles  of  human  action. 
It  is  adopted  by  the  Friend,  the  Romanist,  the  Jew, 
the  Mahommedan,  the  Infidel,  the  Sectary,  the  No- 
thingarian, and  the  votary  of  any  one  of  a  thousand 
other  casts  of  religion.  Strange  too  that  it  should 
be  advocated  by  those  who  pique  themselves  on 
their  philosophy  and  elevation  of  mind  !  But  so  it 
is.  Fashion  is  omnipotent.  It  can  "  change  times 
and  laws,"  reverse  the  nature  of  things,  revolution 
the  ways  of  God,  canonize  reprobates,  and  stamp 
the  most  senseless  and  impossible  positions  with  the 
indisputable  impress  of  truth  !  But  before  the  sen- 


184 


tjment  to  which  1  now  refer  is  adopted  and  practi- 
cally hazarded  by  any  one,  I  would  entreat  him  to 
consider  the  following  things  :  1.  Whether  every 
different  system  can  he  equally  right,  or  safe,  or 
worthy  1  or,  if  not,  whether  such  views  will  not  be 
overruled  confoundingly  in  the  day  of  judgment '! 
2.  Whether  truth  can  he  other  than  a  unit,  or  pos- 
sibly consist  with  contraries  \  3.  Whether  such  a 
sentiment  obeys  any  precept  of  the  decalogue  \  or, 
if  it  can  possibly  ohey  the  fifth  by  violating  the 
FIRST,  second,  third,  and  fourth  1  4.  Whether  do- 
mestic peace  and  the  kind  treatment  of  relatives, 
excellent  ends  as  they  are  and  by  none  more  valued 
than  by  me,  may  not  be  purchased  at  too  dear  a 
rate  or  perhaps  overrated  in  our  tender  dY*  instinc- 
tive estimate  \  Whether  some  sacrifices  may  not 
be  required  of  us  for  Christ's  sake  ;  and  whether 
one  can  be  saved  while  loving  others  more  than 
him  '!  5.  Whether  Christ  has  never  anticipated 
the  difficulties  which  it  was  framed  to  suit  \  and 
whether  he  would  not  have  us  meet  them  in  a  dif- 
ferent way — a  way  that  cares  more  for  eternity  than 
time,  for  the  soul  than  the  body,  for  the  creator 
than  the  creature,  for  salvation  than  ease  and  ele- 
gance of  life  !  I  would  refer  (not  for  one  who  cares 
not  to  examine)  to  the  following  places  for  an  an- 
swer ;  Luke,  12  :  49-53  ;  14  :  25-27.  Matt.  19  :  29. 
Mark,  10:  28-31.  John,  12:  25,  26,  42,  43.  And 
having  said  this,  ''from  such"  we  "  turn  away." 

I  turn,  honored  fathers  and  beloved  brethren  in  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  most  affectionately  to  you, 
in  whom  the  whole  church  glorifies  God  with  rea- 


185 


son :  and  before  I  conclude  this  introduction,  will 
cidventure  a  word  of  animadversion  on  a  different 
and  yet  a  related  subject ;  if  your  kindness  will 
suffer  it,  from  one  so  consciously  your  junior  and 
your  inferior  in  the  service.  Emboldened  by  the 
peculiarities  of  my  own  religious  history,  and  of 
feelings  and  estimates  of  things  thence  necessarily 
resulting,  I  may  speak  freely  in  the  audience  of  all 
men,  even  to  you  whom  I  justly  revere.  Most 
tenderly  do  I  esteem  and  love  you  all,  and  those 
hundreds  of  kindred  spirit  whom  yon  properly  re- 
present. Sincerely  do  I  suppose  that  you  hold 
heartily  in  substance  one  system.  The  enemies  of 
God  are  of  the  same  opinion  ;  they  group  you 
together,  in  their  antipathy,  their  caricature,  their 
defaiiiation.  They  regard  you  as  the  steady  and 
the  mighty  advocates  (as  well  as  the  sincere  disci- 
ples— a  more  heavenly  character,)  of  the  religion 
of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  they  make  common  cause 
against  you. 

Fas  est  ct  ab  hoste  doceri. 

'Tis  wise  and  oft  subserves  the  noblest  ends 

To  learn  of  foes,  that  teacli  us  more  than  friends  ; 

Tlie  act  may  profit,  while  its  aim  offends. 

Is  there  no  demonstration  here  of  substantial 
unity  and  general  identity  of  sentiment  I  How  use- 
ful is  christian  union  !  In  what  then  do  you  possibly 
differ  ?  and  in  what  may  you  agree  to  differ  ?  I  an- 
swer ;  Simply  as  your  metaphysical  philosophy  may 
differ,  in  explication  of  the  great  things  of  your 
COMMON  faith  :  simply  as  it  differs  in  its  forms  of 
solution  or  its  felicities  of  inculcation  and  defence. 

24 


180 


This  I  solemnly  and  cordially  believe.  How  great 
and  how  many  arc  the  matters  in  which  you  are 
agreed  ;  in  which  you  aim  decisively  at  the  same 
thing !  and  profoundly  may  we  question,  whether, 
from  the  certain  imperfection  of  christians  in  this 
world,  and  the  variety  of  your  educational  and  local 
influences,  and  the  individuality  which  the  plastic 
hand  that  formed  has  stamped  upon  your  minds,  and 
the  acknowledged  idiosyncrasy  of  character  which 
has  always  existed  in  the  church  and  diversified  her 
modern  as  it  did  her  ancient  ministers — men  of  con- 
science and  independent  thought  and  habituated 
investigation  pre-eminently ;  we  could  ever  wisely 
anticipate,  in  the  true  church  of  God,  a  much 
greater  degree  of  theological  coincidence  on  earth, 
than  now  exists  among  you  !  In  the  great  facts  and 
principles  of  a  common  system,  you  are  certainly 
united.  What  insipidity  and  stagnation  and  supine- 
ness,  might  we  not  expect  as  the  sure  result  of 
perfect  uniformity !  Now,  there  is  debateable  ground 
enough  to  keep  acumen  awake  ;  and  not  enough  to 
rouse  or  authorize  any  alienation.  You  are  breth- 
ren and  ministers  of  the  same  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
I  know  and  love  and  honor  you  all.  So  do  thou- 
sands of  better  judges.  What  I  now  write  is 
rather  for  others  than  yourselves.  I  believe  you 
hold  the  truth  in  common  ;  the  truth  of  the  Refor- 
mation ;  the  truth  of  Christianity.  I  believe  you  all 
hoM  the  truth,  as  the  world  all  hate  it ;  and  as 
it  would  be  now  corrupted  or  opposed  by  its  ene- 
mies ;  and  as  contradistinguished  from'  the  errors 
of  Sabellius,  Arius,  Pelagius,  Arm,inius,  Soeinus^ 


187 


and  Fox — and  from  the  more  abstract  errors  of 
antinomianism,  stoicism,  fatalism,  fanaticism,  radi- 
calism, ultraism,  neology ;  "  and  if  there  be  any 
other  thing  that  is  contrary  to  sound  doctrine  ;  ac- 
cording to  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God, 
which  is  committed "  respectively  to  our  "  trust." 
From  a  general  acquaintance  with  all,  and  a  special 
intimacy  with  some  of  you,  I  aver,  that  I  am  unable 
to  see  any  differences  among  you  which  should 
alienate  you  from  my  christian  esteem  and  confi- 
dence, or  that  could  properly  engender  alienation 
among  yourselves.    You  differ  indeed  ecclesias- 
tically, as  belonging  to  several  denominations  of 
christians ;  who  are  all  allied  in  mutual  corres- 
pondence and  engaged  nobly  in  the  same  mis- 
sionary action.    You  differ  theologically,  only  in 
the  mode  of  explaining  and  vindicating  and  apply- 
ing the  same  great  truths  of  a  common  system. 
Suppose  then,  fathers  and  brethren,  that  there  was 
among  us  more  of  a  manifest  assiduity  of  kindness  ; 
more  of  magnifying  the  things  of  unity  and  dimi- 
nishing the  things  of  dissidence;  more  of  liberal 
and  generous  allowance  where  variance  might  be 
of  reason  and  in  a  sort  of  right  expected  ;  more  of 
personal  conference  and  prayer  on  topics  of  ambi- 
guity or  doubt;  more  intercourse,  frankness,  and 
love,  according  to  tl;e  temper  of  the  blessed  Paul ; 
more  of  manifested  confidence  and  holy  magna- 
nimity and  reciprocal  esteem ;  more  dependence 
on  moral  and  evangelical  influence,  and  less  on  the 
machinery  of  church  government ;  more  of  a  prac- 
tical sense  of  personal  responsibility  to  a  common 


188 


and  a  reigning  and  a  witnessing  Lord ;  more  of  an 
unwillingness  to  misunderstand,  suspect,  inculpate, 
or  avoid,  one  another ;  more  of  a  just  appreciation 
of  the  motives  and  the  sanctions  and  the  symbols 
of  professed  sincerity  ;  more  of  watchfulness  against 
the  spirit  so  often  censured  by  one  that  "  made 
himself  of  no  reputation"  for  our  sakes;  Mark, 
9  ;  33-50.  2  Thess.  2  :  7,  8.  3  John,  9  :  12.  Rev. 
1  :  20.  more  of  unity  in  action  and  service,  as 
indispensable,  and  very  eminently  efficacious,  to 
promote  unity  of  vision  ;  more  of  the  spirit  of  be- 
nevolence, and  of  the  sympathies  of  goodness,  and 
of  the  living  portraiture  of  piety ;  more  sense  of 
what  is  common  and  identical  in  our  interests  and 
duties,  our  principles  and  dangers,  our  histories  and 
prospects ;  more  of  the  wisdom  that  discerns  our 
common  enemies  and  necessities  and  weaknesses 
and  exposures ;  more  in  short  of  the  temper  and 
the  acting  of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord,  the  Lord  of 
Glory,  our  example  as  well  as  our  expiation  and 
our  righteousness :  what  would  be  the  result  1  I 
answer ;  it  would  be  excellent,  manifold,  certain, 
permanent.  It  is  just  what  God  is  waiting  for, 
what  the  church  desires,  and  the  world  pcrishingly 
needs !  Some  of  these  results  I  could  venture  to 
predict :  such  probably  as  these ;  wc  should  see 
that  in  the  things  of  faith  we  were  all  more  alike 
than  perhaps  we  supposed ;  that  it  was  easy, 
and  sweet,  and  safe,  to  forbear  with  each  other 
in  minor  peculiarities  ;  that  imperfect  phraseology, 
and  the  passion  for  philosophizing,  and  specious 
logomachy,  make  a  great  quantum  of  all  our  con- 


189 


structive  or  real  differences ;  that  evils  could  now 
be  a  hundred  fold  better  corrected,  when  love  came 
fresh  from  the  cross  to  qualify  orthodoxy  into  recti- 
tude, and  when  our  colloquial  and  printed  rhetoric 
always  honored  heaven's  rule  of  demonstration, 
"  speaking  the  truth  in  love  ;"  that  the  moral  power 
of  each,  and  the  collective  power  of  all,  would  be 
increased,  refined,  amplified,  in  all  legitimate  influ- 
ence ;  that  the  spirit  of  the  ministry  would  become 
every  where  elevated,  purified,  homogeneous  ;  that 
other  denominations  and  the  whole  country  would 
derive  a  kindred  benefit ;  that  our  theological  semi- 
naries would  become  schools  of  experimental  piety 
and  the  culture  of  gracious  affections,  as  well  as  the 
high  places  of  theological  lore  and  exercise  and  ac- 
complishment ;  that  we  should  all  increase  in  prac- 
tical wisdom  ;  that  religion's  power  would  be  quad- 
rupled in  all  directions  ;  that  the  evident  blessing  of 
God  would  attend  us,  making  our  ministrations  liv- 
ing and  effectual,  as  "  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit 
and  the  ministration  of  righteousness  ;"  that  conver- 
sions would  abound  and  revivals  of  religion  become 
the  steady  order  of  the  day  ;  that  the  churches  would 
more  and  more  love  their  ministers  ;  that  the  wicked 
would  be  confounded,  and  refuted  by  their  own 
consciences  ;  that  error  would  die  of  necessity  or 
retreat  to  courted  and  distant  solitudes  ;  and  that 
jealousies  would  fade  away,  antipathies  expire, 
sectarianism  wane  to  its  destined  dishonor,  and  the 
vices  of  bigotry,  superstition,  fanaticism,  mystical 
divinity,  unsanctioned  observances,  with  other  and 
kindred  evils  that  annoy  us  now,  would  be  continu- 


190 


ally  reduced  and  superseded,  by  the  triumphant  in- 
fluence of  the  gospel.  Of  these  results,  proportion- 
ate mainly  to  the  reform  or  the  advance  attained,  I 
have  no  doubt :  and  always  does  the  thought  occur, 
when  I  see  with  pain  the  little  difference  mag- 
nified reciprocally  into  the  mighty  all  of  the  con- 
trovertist,  that  if  those  brethren  had  been  educated 
as  thoroughly  in  the  inward-light  scheme,  or  any 
other  grand  error  of  the  earth,  as  some  of  their  ac- 
quaintance were,  they  would  know  how  to  appreci- 
ate each  other  better  ;  and  they  would  thus  begin 
to  brighten  the  prospects  of  the  nineteenth  century 
before  the  history  should  he  written  of  its  earlier  and 
its  less  honorable  years. 

Allow  me  to  advert  to  some  evils  that  especially 
claim  correction.  1.  Sectarianism ;  di\ove  sect, 
that  seeks  its  praemia  laudis  in  this  world,  and  as 
the  reward  of  mistaking  the  denomination  to  which 
one  happens  to  belong  for  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven," 
or  at  least  the  frequent  implication  of  such  a  shame- 
ful sentiment.  How  often  do  we  hear  "  our  church, 
our  denomination,  our  judicatory,  our  people,"  spo- 
ken of,  in  such  terms  of  personal  appropriation  as 
carelessness  or  earthiness  alone  could  inspire ;  such 
as  seem  to  forget  who  "  purchased  the  church  with 
his  own  blood."  The  first  epistle  of  Paul  to  Timo- 
thy was  written  to  instruct  that  lovely  young  evan- 
gelist, "how  he  ought  to  behave  himself  in  the 
house  of  God,  which  is  the  church  of  the  liv- 
ing God."  The  proprietor  of  the  church  is  its  claim- 
ant too ;  and  if  not  "  his  glory,"  neither  will  he 
give  his  property  to  another.    Besides,  do  those 


191 

more  iioiior  t!ie  denomination  to  wliicli  they  belong, 
who  continually  prefer,  and  even  oppose,  its  separate 
interests,  to  those  of  the  whole  kingdom  of  Christ 
on  earth ;  or  those  who  judge  the  interests  of  that 
kingdom  steadily  and  purely  preferred  by  all  its 
members  and  officers,  to  be  the  very  best  way  of 
promoting  those  of  the  denomination  \  each  in  his 
own  sphere  and  place,  certainly ;  but  each  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  !  The  sin  of  sectarianism  ap- 
pears to  me  to  be  rottenness  at  the  heart  of  the  body 
and  poison  in  the  very  soul  of  the  church.  It  is  a 
deadly  injury  to  any  denomination  of  our  vaunted 
fondness !  It  consists  in  exalting  local  against 
universal  interests ;  private  against  catholic  views  ; 
party  against  piety ;  policy  against  principle  ;  and 
our  men,  our  measures,  our  doctrines,  our  views, 
our  prosperity,  against  the  glorious  commonwealth 
of  the  King  of  Israel.  And  what  is  this,  but  exalt- 
ing earth  against  heaven  I  It  hardens  the  heart  of 
a  minister  of  Christ,  and  saddens  the  soul  of  a  pri- 
vate disciple  :  converting  the  former,  while  it  justly 
lessens  his  influence,  into  a  cruel  inquisitor,  or  a 
facile  jesuit,  or  a  wily  politician;  the  latter,  into  a 
sickly  bigot,  or  a  dissocial  monachist,  or  a  barren 
devotee.  Piety  hence  is  nothing — but  as  party  feels 
its  influence.  It  soon  loses  the  liberality  that  re- 
joices to  pronounce,  "  grace  be  with  all  them  that 
love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity  ;" — "tothem 
that  are  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be 
saints  ,with  all  that  in  every  place  call  upon  the 
NAME  OF  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  both  theirs  and 
OURS."  This  to  me  appears  the  elemental  mischief 


192 


of  the  papacy  ;  the  very  "  mystery  of  iniquity," 
whether  it  "works"  in  embryo,  or  is  developed  in 
Jiving  vigor  of  monstrous  youth  or  more  horrible 
maturity.  It  dethrones  the  King  of  Zion,  just  iu 
proportion  as  self  is  exahed  to  the  supreme  episco- 
pate. If  there  is  any  sin  denounced  in  the  "  oracles 
of  God  "  as  the  very  quintessence  of  deceitfulness, 
the  very  sublimity  of  treason,  the  very  hypocrisy  of 
spiritual  usurpation  ;  in  short,  the  very  personifica- 
tion described  as  "the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  per- 
dition, who  opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  above 
all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshipped ;" 
we  have  here  the  identity  of  the  evil  in  the 
temper  of  sectarianism.  If  this  temper  were 
well  analyzed,  it  would  be  found  to  consist  of  very 
unlovely  and  anti-christian  ingredients.  It  is  wholly 
alien  from  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit."  The  elements 
of  its  composition  would  be  found  probably  to  be 
deceit,  hypocrisy,  ambition,  selfishness,  apprehen- 
sion, suspicion,  envy,  jealousy,  sordid  feelings, 
false  zeal,  and  the  wrath  of  man  "  which  worketh 
not  the  righteousness  of  God."  Its  holy  preten- 
sions constitute  one  of  its  worst  characteristics: 
but  another  of  its  worst  is — the  stealth  and  the  ad- 
dress with  Avhich  its  influence  often  invades  the 
truly  good  !  The  evangelic  histories  confirm  this 
position  in  reference  to  the  apostles  themselves, 
and  illustrate  the  terrible  sinuosities  of  the  sin  :  all 
other  history  demonstrates  its  influence  over  com- 
mon mortals  ;  and  that  of  the  church  particularly, 
its  too  potent  spell  over  ecclesiastics  in  every  age  of 
the  christian  era.  In  short,  no  man  is  more  deceiv- 


193 


ed  by  it  than  he  whose  self-complacency,  beguiling 
him  from  a  needful  vigilance  against  its  approaches, 
presents  him  to  himself  as  an  exception  to  the  rule! 
"  Do  ye  think  that  the  scripture  saith  in  vain,^*^  The 
spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us  "  (the  native  moral  tem- 
perament of  every  individual)  lusteth  to  envy  ?" 
Hence  he  neglects  himself,  in  that  very  matter,  in  i 
which  the  care  of  others  can  do  least  for  his  preser- 
vation ;  and  cares  for  others,  in  those  very  relations 
in  which  he  ought  to  honor  the  supreme  Inspector 
and  feel  as  much  the  solemnity  of  his  own  accoun- 
table action. 

As  envy  pines  at  good  possessed, 
So  jealousy  looks  forth  distressed 

On  good  that  seems  approaching ; 
And,  if  success  his  steps  attend, 
Discerns  a  rival  in  a  friend  ; 

And  hates  him  for  encroaching. — Cowper. 

There  are  personages,  of  other  denominations 
than  those  to  which  any  of  us  belong,  and  on  both 
sides  of  the  Atlantic  occasionally  found,  whose 
high-church  childishness  is  as  proverbial,  as  their 
low-christian  manliness  is  notorious.  For  them — 
the  high-church  party,  I  mean — it  is  less  incongru- 
ous, possibly  less  criminal,  to  identify  themselves 
with  "  the  church  ;"  to  view  their  own  sect  as  "  the 
kingdom  of  heaven ;"  and  subhmely  to  abandon 
their  more  evangelical  and  better  taught  brethren, 
to  the  imaginary  resource  of  "  the  uncovenanted 
mercies  of  God."  For  them,  exclusive  pretensions 
may  be  less  shocking ;  possibly  more  in  the  way  of 

26 


194 


their  characteristic  vocation ;  less  dishonorable,  it 
may  be,  to  their  intellectual  vigor.  "  When  I  was, 
a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child,  I  understood  as  a  child, 
I  thought  as  a  child."  But  for  us,  there  is  no  such 
apology.  We  were  never  taught  it,  I  think,  by 
"  holy  mother  church."  It  is  no  part  of  our  pro- 
fession. It  is  not  congenial  with  our  creed.  No 
one  of  us  could  avow  it.  Our  churches  would  not 
endure  it.  Our  piety,  all  of  heaven  that  there  is  in  it, 
reclaims  at  the  perversion.  The  apostles  of  the  Lamb 
teach  it  not;  and  while  they  every  where  remind 
us  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  "  is  not  of  this  world," 
they  also  "  beseech  us  by  the  mercies  of  God,"  if 
there  be  "  any  consolation  in  Christ,  if  any  comfort 
of  love,  if  any  fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  if  any  bowels 
and  mercies,"  to  "  fulfil  their  joy,  that  we  be  like- 
minded,  having  the  same  love,  being  of  one  ac- 
cord, of  one  mind."  They  say  to  us,  "  Let  nothing  be 
done  through  strife  or  vain  glory  ;  but  in  lowliness 
of  mind  let  each  esteem  other  better  than  them- 
selves." This  exhortation  may  be  considered  a 
sovereign  recipe,  prophylactic  and  therapeutic  both, 
against  the  mighty  malady — the  epidemic  of  eccle- 
siastics since  the  primitive  ages.  To  follow  it,  is 
perfect  freedom  from  the  influence.  No  one  would 
thus  become  the  stern  spontaneous  censor  of  his 
brethren  ;  none  would  find  his  spiritual  wardrobe 
empty  of  those  desirable  garments  or  heavenly 
mantles,  with  one  of  which  a  brother's  nakedness 
could  be  concealed  and  a  covering  furnished,  with- 
out connivance,  even  for  "  a  multitude  of  sins."  We 
should  think  it  then  as  necessary  to  our  theological 


195 


accomplishment  to  be  "  simple  concerning  evil,"  as 
it  is  obviously  to  be  "  wise  unto  that  which  is  good." 
This  is  true  wisdom.  "  Let  us  therefore  follow 
after  the  things  which  make  for  peace,  and  things 
wherewith  one  may  edify  another."  And  let  us  not 
forget,  while  "  the  purity  of  the  church  "  has  ever 
been  the  persecutor's  plea  and  passport  to  all  enor- 
mities, that  "  the  fruit  of  righteousness  is  sown  in 
peace  of  them  that  make  peace  " — and  not  in  war 
of  them  that  make  war.  Let  us  remember  that 
Jesus  Christ  hath  said,  "  Blessed  are  the  peace- 
makers :  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of 
God."  If  I  mistake  not,  this  is  the  age,  and  this 
the  country,  and  this  the  crisis  too,  for  the  obliga- 
tions of  anti-sectarian  Christianity  to  be  felt,  its 
characteristics  exemplified,  its  excellencies  acknow- 
ledged. What  I  know  of  Quakerism  has  quickened 
my  sense  and  matured  my  detestation  of  the  evil. 

2.  Another  evil,  kindred  in  nature  to  the  formef, 
is  this  ;  A  too  strict  and  even  an  illiberal  con- 
struction of  doctrinal  orthodoxy-  I  mean  here  to 
sanction  nothing  like  latitudinarianism ;  nothing* 
like  denying  the  propriety  of  conscientiousness 
even  in  little  things ;  nothing  like  indifference  to 
truth,  in  its  major  or  its  minor  relations;  nothing 
like  servility  or  tameness  in  any  of  the  details  of 
faith  or  practice.  We  ought  to  be  as  really  con- 
scientious in  little  things  as  in  great  ones  :  to  pre- 
serve the  mem  sihi  conscia  recti  in  the  least,  as 
truly  as  in  the  greatest.  But  ought  we  to  insist 
alike  on  all  in  the  creed  of  visible  communion  ;  and 
make  every  thing  a  term  of  recognition  which  has 


196 


become  to  us  identified,  in  whole  or  in  part,  with 
the  truth  of  revelation  1  as  if  whatever  may  be 
necessary  to  the  perfection  of  the  church,  were 
equally  necessary  to  the  visibility  of  the  church !  as 
if  every  thing  that  a  christian  ought  to  be,  is  that 
without  which  a  christian  is  not !  as  if  what  belongs 
to  growth  and  accomplishment,  were  indispensable 
in  the  same  degree  to  existence  itself!  These  mon- 
strous suppositions  could  not  be  sustained  in  argu- 
ment, and  are  perhaps  very  rarely  affirmed  in  prac- 
tice. But  are  they  as  rarely  implied  l  Are  they 
never  couched  covertly  in  our  sentiments ;  insensibly 
in  our  conduct ;  devastatingly  in  our  influence  1  How 
easily  is  the  brand  of  heretic,  or  the  impeachment 
of  unsound,  or  the  suspicion  of  innovating,  or  the 
whisper  of  erroneous,  admitted  or  applied  And 
to  whom  1  Men,  whose  piety  perhaps  has  been  long 
and  well  demonstrated  ;  with  whom  "  the  spirit  of 
truth,"  and  not  "  the  spirit  of  error,"  holds  mani- 
fest communion  ;  who  are,  and  have  ever  been,  "  in 
labors  more  abundant,"  it  may  be,  than  most  others, 
.  their  allies  or  oppugners  ;  and  whose  success  in  the 
ministry,  both  in  conversions  multiplied  and  fruits 
unequivocal,  has  been  the  palpable  seal  of  God  on 
their  commission  as  his  own  ambassadors.  I  know 
it  is  objected  here,  with  something  possibly  of  wis- 
dom, in  show  or  in  reality,  that  success  is  not  the 
criterion  !  Grant  it — Is  it  not  still  a  criterion,  and  a 
tolerably  good  one  1  one  which  any  man  would 
plead  or  consider  in  his  own  case,  but  simply  for 
the  reason — that  there  it  has  no  applicability  pro- 
bably 1  Yes!  says  the  objector,  but  success  attends 


197 


many  a  hereriasch,  many  a  fanatic,  many  a  heathen 
corrupter.  Look  at  Mohammed  ;  look  at  Peter  the 
hermit;  look  at  George  Fox.  I  answer,  all  this  is 
true.  But  what  is  the  inference  1  that  success  is 
only  of  one  kind  l  or  that  successs  in  mischief 
is  all  I  or  that  success  in  "  winning  souls "  to 
Christ,  and  "  turning  many  to  righteousness," 
proves  nothing"!  Not  a  christian  on  earth,  nor 
an  angel  in  heaven,  believes  any  such  extra- 
vagance of  folly !  I  repeat  it ;  no  good  man 
soberly  believes  any  such  thing.  Do  heretics  and 
schismatics  and  heathen  corrupters,  ever  appropri- 
ately succeed  in  converting  men  to  holiness,  to  the 
faith  of  Christ,  and  "  the  blessed  hope "  of  the 
gospeU  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  We 
estimate  fruits,  I  think,  first  by  the  quality;  and 
then  by  the  quantity.  Suppose  they  are  good  and 
numerous — are  we  to  infer  that  they  grew  in  the 
devil's  garden  and  resulted  from  the  culture  of  his 
emissaries  l  They  are  not  "  the  grapes  of  Sodom  ;" 
they  are  not  "  the  clusters  of  Gomorrah."  This 
will  be  generally  admitted  on  all  sides.  Is  success 
in  rearing  such  fruit,  no  demonstration  of  an  alli- 
ance with  the  master  of  the  grounds  1  with  the 
giver  of  the  increase  1  How  then  are  his  allies  to 
be  known!  By  imperious  indolence  ?  by  arrogant 
denunciation  1  by  an  everlasting  clamor  or  insinua- 
tion of  their  heterodoxy  who  do  all  the  work,  who 
brave  all  the  dangers,  who  meet  all  the  questions, 
and  who  bear  all  the  "  evil  report "  of  "  the  master 
of  the  house  1"  by  such  an  outcry  raised  or  nou- 
rished by  men,  it  may  be,  who  never  were  success- 


198 


ful  in  the  ministry'!  who  never  had  a  revival  of 
religion  probably  under  all  their  preaching  1  who 
dwell  in  libraries  and  abstractions  ;  and  know  little 
experimentally  of  contact  with  the  rude  million,  in 
a  way  that  brooks  their  boorishness,  and  encoun- 
ters their  very  reviling,  for  the  sake  of  showing 
them  the  love  of  Christ  and  the  way  of  salvation 
through  his  blood  !  The  heartlessness  with  which 
the  success  of  a  preacher  in  the  credible  conversion 
of  souls  to  God,  is  sometimes  philosophized  away 
to  nothing ;  and  the  nothingness  of  their  success 
who  thus  reason,  as  sometimes  exalted  into  a  foil 
of  their  glorious  orthodoxy  while  they  thus  pervert 
the  argument,  and  to  their  consolation  it  may  be 
who  have  cause  rather  to  be  humiliated  and  ashamed 
before  God  and  man  at  their  own  official  barren- 
ness ;  are  equally  melancholly  and  portentous ! 
Success  is  better  estimated  in  heaven  ;  where  "  they 
that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the 
firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness, as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever.  For  what  is 
our  hope,  our  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing]  Are  not 
even  ye  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
at  his  coming?   For  ye  are  our  glory  and  our  joy." 

A  man  cannot  be  right  by  conformity,  though  he 
may  be  by  conviction.  It  is  evidence,  not  dogma- 
tism, that  corrects  him.  The  force  of  great  names 
and  the  power  of  uninspired  authority,  are  not  only 
less  than  the  power  of  the  gospel ;  they  are  different 
in  nature  too.  They  are  also  as  much  inferior,  as 
they  are  different,  in  the  influence  they  exert. 
They  may  make  partisans ;  but  they  will  never 


199 


make  christians :  nor  is  it  mainly  by  such  means 
that  God  makes  christians.  "  The  word  of  God, 
which  is  contained  in  the  scriptures  of  tlie  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  is  THE  ONLY  RULE  to  di- 
rect us  HOW  WE  MAY  GLORIFY  AND  ENJOY  HIM."  He 

honors  his  own  word ;  he  respects  the  laws  of 
mind;  he  violates  nothing  but  sin.  He  so  effec- 
tually and  tenderly  persuades,  whom  he  converts, 
that  duty  is  seen  as  privilege  and  service  relished  as 
enjoyment.  The  love  of  the  Savior  invests  all  the 
legislation  of  the  king  ;  and  the  grace  of  salvation 
facilitates  all  the  mandates  of  righteousness.  Ought 
we  not  to  proceed  in  a  way  similar,  when  our  end 
is  corresponding?  Is  it  not  safe  to  copy  an  example 
so  illustrious  and  superhuman  I  Good  reason  is 
there  to  suppose  that  such  a  way  is  that  of  your 
common  desire  ;  and  that  you  all  approve,  as  I  do, 
the  following  sentiments.  "  I  have  endeavored," 
says  Dr.  Woods,  "  to  guard  against  any  mixture  of 
bigotry,  being  fully  aware  that  this  tends  to  pro- 
duce narrowness  of  feeling,  and  to  prevent  im- 
provement.   Most  heartily  would  I  welco3IE, 

EVERY  ray  of  NEW  LIGHT  WHICH  MAY  SHINE  UPON 
THE  GREAT  SUBJECTS  OF  REVELATION.  FoR  WHILE 
I  REGARD  THE  UNCHANGEABLE  WORD  OF  GoD  AS 
A  PERFECT  AND  INFALLIBLE  RULE  OF  FAITH  AND 
PRACTICE,  I  BELIEVE  THAT  OUR  PERCEPTION  OF 
ITS  TRUTHS,  AND  OUR  MANNER  OF  EXPLAINING  ANI> 
ENFORCING    THEM,    ADMIT   OF    VAST  IMPROVEMENT. 

And  although,  in  the  extent  of  their  knowledge 
of  Christianity,  and  their  ability  to  defend  and 
illustrate  its  doctrinal  and  practical  principles,  the 


200 


older  divines  seem  to  me  far  superior  to  the  ge- 
nerality of  late  theological  writers,  whether  in 
Europe  or  America;  I  cannot  but  think  that  some 
real  progress  has  been  made  during  the  last  cen- 
tury in  the  right  understanding  of  the  christian 
religion,  and  in  the  right  mode  of  setting  forth  its 
truths,  for  the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  spread 
of  the  gospel.  And  it  is  my  persuasion,  though 
some  may  regard  it  as  partiality  or  weakness,  that 
this  progress  is  chiefly  owing  to  the  labors  of  those 
whom  we  call  New-England  divines ;  and  I  am 
supported  in  this  persuasion  by  some  of  the  ablest 
advocates  of  divine  truth  in  Great  Britain.  But 
while  I  say  this,  I  am  ready  to  deplore  Avhatever 
has  been  among  us  of  erroneous  opinion,  and  of 
unchristian  feeling  and  practice.  I  cherish  the 
pleasing  hope,  that  the  multitude  of  young  men 
who  have  recently  entered  the  ministry,  or  are  now 
preparing  for  it,  will  seek  and  obtain  larger  mea- 
sures of  divine  illumination,  than  their  predecessors, 
and  that  in  the  happy  results  of  their  studies  and 
labors,  they  will  exceed  all  former  generations."  In 
this  extract,  I  have  taken  no  other  liberty  than  to 
capitalize  two  sentences,  that  deserve  to  be  written 
permanently  on  conscious  tablets  of  the  heart. 
To  the  estimate  of  the  author,  respecting  the  theo- 
logians of  New-England,  I  can  fully  subscribe ; 
without  any  imputation  of  indelicate  praise,  as  / 
am  neither  a  native  nor  a  resident  of  that  distin- 
guished district.  To  them  do  I  confess  the  indebt- 
edness  of  the  country  and  especially  of  the  church. 
I  wish  indeed  that  here  we  could  be  unqualified, 


201 


and  without  exception,  in  the  benediction!  But — 
there  are  weeds  as  well  as  flowers,  poisons  as  well 
as  fruits:  and  however  genteel,  or  honorable,  or 
literary,  or  eminent, — If  any  man  love  not  THE 
LORD  JESUS  CHRIST,  let  him  be  anathema, 
MARAN-ATHA !  1  Cor.  16  :  22. 

Still,  with  respect  to  those  who  hold  generically 
and  with  good  proof  of  soundness,  the  same  evan- 
gelical system,  there  ought  to  be — teste  christo 
■ — increasing  union ;  and  as  the  means  of  it,  increas- 
ing forbearance  and  affectionate  regard.  All  go- 
vernment is  founded  in  concession.  We  defer  to 
others  reciprocally,  and  for  ends  of  mutual  benefit. 
If  no  latitude  is  to  be  given  to  thought ;  none  to 
investigation  ;  none  to  the  free  inspection  of  things 
debateable  ;  none  to  the  calm  and  kind  interchange 
of  honest  opinion  or  demur  on  minor  points ;  none 
to  the  best  modes  of  philosophizing  on  the  reali- 
ties of  our  common  faith :  the  consequences  are 
equally  disastrous  and  evident — all  government  is 
at  an  end  ;  no  conventional  union  can  exist ;  orga- 
nized combination  however  excellent  its  object,  and 
regular  co-operation  however  inspiring  or  evange- 
lical its  cause,  must  be  utterly  and  indefinitely  aban- 
doned !  I  am  well  and  deeply  convinced  that  there 
are  elements  of  excellence  and  resources  of  strength 
in  those  circles  with  which  we  are  connected,  that 
require  only  a  wise  and  a  christian  economizing,  in 
order  to  secure  some  of  the  noblest  and  the  purest 
achievements.  And  this  consummation  we  should 
at  least  approximate,  if  we  and  ours  were  all  so 
piously  purposed  and  concentrating  in  our  tenden- 

26 


202 


cies,  as  to  show  a  more  child-like  obedience  to  the 
divine  exhortation;  "beseeching  ns  that  we  walk 
worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  we  are  called  ; 
with  all  lowliness  and  meekness,  with  long-suffer- 
ing, forbearing  one  another  in  love ;  ENDEAVOR- 
ING TO  KEEP  THE  UNITY  OF  THE  SPIRIT 

IN  THE  BOND  OF  PEACE." 

It  comes  here  happily  to  the  purpose  to  avail 
myself  of  another  extract  from  the  writings  of  one 
of  you,  fathers  and  brethren,  memorably,  and  with 
reciprocal  accord,  addressed  to  another  of  your 
honored  number.    "  It  has  been  my  deliberate 
opinion,"  says  Dr.  Beecher,  "  for  many  years,  de- 
rived from  extensive  observation,  and  a  careful  at- 
tention to  the  elementary  principles  of  the  various 
differences  which  have  agitated  the  church,  that  the 
ministers  of  the  orthodox  congregational  church, 
and  the  ministers  of  the  presbyterian  church,  are 
all  cordially  united  in  every  one  of  the  doctrines  of 
the  Bible  and  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  which 
have  been  regarded  and  denominated  fundamental : 
and  that  the  points  wherein  they  differ  do  not  sub- 
vert or  undermine  any  one  of  these  doctrines,  or 
justify  the  imputation  of  heresy,  or  the  withdraw- 
ment  of  confidence  or  co-operation  ia  every  good 
work.    I  would  not  be  understood  to  say,  that  I 
think  the  points  of  difference  to  be  in  every  case  of 
little  consequence ;  or  that,  by  beiivg  made  centres 
of  assault  and  defence,  they  may  not  be  driven  to 
hurtful  extremes ;  nor  yet  that  earnest  discussion, 
conducted  with  christian  courtesy,  is  to  be  depreca- 
ted.   Without  something  of  this  kind  the  public 


203 


intellect  might  fall  asleep,  and  truth  be  transmitted 
by  tradition  through  the  memory ;  and  an  unthink- 
ing theology,  cold  as  winter  and  powerless  as  the 
grave,  might  extend  a  '  dead  orthodoxy '  over  the 
land — a  sure  precursor,  as  in  Germany,  of  a  coming 
age  of  heresy  and  infidelity." 

Most  heartily  do  I  appropriate  the  sentiments  of 
the  father ;  and  could  add,  were  that  decorous  or 
required,  my  junior  experience  in  attestation  of  their 
wisdom  and  their  excellence.  Equally  for  charita- 
ble allowance  toward  all  substantial  christians,  and 
for  absolute  explosion  toward  all  fundamental  here- 
tics, ought  we  to  be  theologically  and  ecclesiasti- 
cally characterized.  So  have  I  learned  Christ.  So 
I  intend  immutably  to  act,  by  the  grace  of  God.  So 
to  act,  is  most  certainly  the  wisdom  and  the  duty, 
especially  in  this  age  and  country,  of  those  whom  I 
consider  you,  honored  sirs,  as  representing,  and  in 
reference  to  whom  I  have  been  so  bold  in  making 
this  appeal.  Your  example,  especially  in  coinci- 
dence and  concert,  as  perfected  and  manifested  and 
known,  would,  I  think,  under  God,  move  and  influ- 
ence our  vast  christian  community.  This  I  heartily 
desire,  from  motives,  which,  I  trust,  eternity  will  not 
denounce.  The  interests  of  rehgion  require  it. 
The  wants  of  the  world,  the  glory  of  Christ,  the 
progress  of  orthodoxy,  the  regeneration  of  souls,  re- 
quire it.  Particularly,  I  long  to  see  the  glorious 
consummation  for  the  sake  of  those  wanderers  from 
"  truth  and  soberness,"  in  reference  to  whom  these 
pages  appear.  We  need  light  in  our  atmosphere, 
so  pure  and  abundant,  that  heresy  and  extravagance 


204 


will  die  in  it  instinctively  ;  that  infidelity  will  repent 
and  trust  the  name  of  Jesus  exultingly — or,  retreat 
delirious  to  some  far  distant  wilderness  of  night ; 
and  that  sophistry  and  sorcery  will  be  too  obvious 
to  the  common  vision  of  mankind,  to  encourage  any 
longer  their  traditions  or  their  triumphs.  Shall  I 
add,  upon  what  equal  number  of  men  in  the  United 
States,  if  not  upon  yourselves,  rest  such  signal  and 
noble  obligations  in  reference  to  the  results  desired  ? 
"  The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye  :  if  therefore  thine 
eye  be  single,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light." 
May  "the  Father  of  lights"  mot^t  affluently  endow 
you  with  his  precious  gifts !  and  use  you,  in  this 
eventful  crisis  of  things,  as  co-agents  with  himself 
illustriously,  in  effecting  the  wide  and  holy  pacifica- 
tion of  his  Israel,  the  consolidation  of  the  tribes, 
and  the  conquest  of  etherial  arms  against  an  em- 
battled world! 

How  different  from  what  we  all  believe,  is  the 
system  of  Friends  !  I  would  denounce  that  system 
as  "  another  gospel,"  I  would  denounce  it  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ,  if  I  stood  alone,  and  if  "all 
men  forsook  me,"  in  the  principled  detestation  of 
its  abominable  doctrines  ]  I  hsLViifelt  the  misery  of 
its  priest-craft,  its  perversion,  and  its  bondage.  I 
will  here  present  the  reader  with  a  synopsis  of  it,  as 
I  suppose  it  properly  constituted,  in  answer  to  the 
frequent  question.  What  is  Quakerism  ?  The  in- 
ference will  be  evident — we  ought  to  be  engaged 
and  united  in  endeavoring  the  diffusion  of  the  truth, 
for  the  extirpation  of  cardinal  error  ;  this  is  what 
ought  to  occupy  us  primarily  : — and  after  we  have 


205 


achieved  the  victory,  we  may  perfectionate  our  com- 
mon creed,  comparatively  at  leisure,  and  compara- 
tively with  a  good  conscience  ! 

But  it  may  be  well  here  to  enter  previously  a  ca- 
veat, as  pertinent  to  the  times  and  the  places  of  this 
work.  Some  have  said  to  me  ;  Beware  that  you 
look  at  all  the  best  symbols  and  the  most  recent 
specimens  of  their  doctrine  ;  and  give  them  every 
advantage,  regarding  always  the  last  regular  emis- 
sion or  document  of  their  views ;  for  these  are 
thought  to  improve  considerably  as  years  and 
months  proceed.  Aie  you  not  willing  that  friend- 
ism  should  grow  better?  should  approximate  nearer 
and  nearer  to  the  true  standard  \  and  at  last  or  per- 
haps soon  become  identical  with  Christianity? 

Answer — No!  I  am  not  so  willing:  and  for  the 
following  reasons ;  1.  The  idea  is  absurd.  That 
grow  better,  which — as  a  system — is  contrary  to 
Christianity !  Friends  may  grow  better,  may  "  re- 
pent and  believe  the  gospel,"  may  become  (would 
God  they  should!)  christians,  walking  in  the  light 
of  genuine  oracles  :  they  may  thus  improve — but 
their  system,  friendism,  is  another  thing.  It  is  a 
homogeneous  compound  of  hurtful  error.  Hence, 
2.  Its  character  is  fixed  ;  and  so  is  its  definition,  its 
nature,  its  history.  It  is  not  hereafter  to  be  ascer- 
tained. The  only  proper  criterion  of  what  it  is, 
is — THE  Quaker  scriptures  ;  the  sacred  writings 
of  Fox,  Barclay,  Penn,  and  others.  3.  We  are, 
therefore,  not  to  expect  any  revised  editions,  or  mo- 
dern emendations,  or  transformed  improvements, 
of  that  old  and  well  established  identity.  Let  those 


206 


paragons  of  light  (I  mean  the  orthodox)  that  are 
swung  from  their  ancient  moorings,  not  deceive 
themselves.  If  they  improve — I  am  glad  of  it.  In- 
cumbite  remis,  pueri — bend  to  your  oars,  hoys,  would 
I  say  to  them  cheeringly,  as  they  proceed  to  safer 
stations  and  a  firmer  hold.  Only  let  them  not  sup- 
pose that  they  and  Quakerism  are  identical.  They 
will  have,  if  they  are  sincere  in  striving  to  know  and 
worship  the  true  God  in  his  own  revealed  way,  to 
make  changes  more  and  greater  than  they  now  an- 
ticipate ;  and  happy  they  who  make  them  :  happy 
/ — by  the  grace  of  God — that  have  made  them  :  I 
would  do  it  again,  O  how  quickly — were  it  now  to 
be  repeated  :  only  let  not  these  changes,  as  they 
proceed,  be  construed  as  if  Quakerism  was  chang- 
ing !  The  idea  of  mutation  is  ruinous  to  its  life. 
In  that  respect  it  is  like  the  permanent  decrees  of 
the  council  of  Trent.  It  professes  to  be  based  in- 
fallibly on  the  inspiration  of  God  !  to  be  identified 
with  Christianity  itself!  with  Christianity  in  its  great- 
est purity,  spirituality,  fulness,  and  perfection !  And 
its  professions  are  the  most  impudent,  exclusive,  and 
vain. 

If  any  one  object,  that  this  is  discouraging  to 
those  that  would  reform,  I  reply  ;  no  such  thing ! 
Would  they  reform  truly,  or  to  salvation,  who  wish 
to  do  it  by  stealth !  who  desire  to  be  smuggled 
noiselessly  into  the  kingdom,  that  prefers  to  "  suffer 
violence"  and  be  "taken  by  force!"  who  act  like 
the  disingenuous  and  indolent  scholar,  that  asks 
every  one  to  inform  him  about  his  lesson,  and  then 
says— I  knew  it  before !   A  man  who  is  unwilling  to 


207 


"  come  out  from  among  thera  and  be  separate," 
may  be  unwilling  to  go  to  heaven  in  the  only  pos- 
sible way  ;  and  as  for  a  reform  which  the  plain  and 
practical  truth,  that  illustrates  its  proper  nature  and 
objects,  must  not  be  permitted  to  influence,  it  is  a 
kind  of  truthless  reformation,  of  which  the  ungodly 
world  is  continually  furnishing  the  apt  and  the 
miserable  examples. 

I.  In  doctrine,  it  is  at  once  the  policy  and  the 
character  of  the  system,  to  be  often  vague  and  ne- 
gative, in  substance  if  not  in  form;  more  opposing 
the  things  of  others'  faith,  than  magnifying  aggres- 
sively the  positives  of  its  own. 

II.  The  CARDINAL  ERROR  or  Central  heresy  of  the 
system,  is  identified  with  a  prodigiously  important 
nonentity,  which  they  call  by  different  names  ;  as 
"  inward  light,  the  principle,  the  seed,"  «fec.  This 
is  said  to  be  a  certain  divine  influence,  apart  from 
the  substance  and  the  faculties  of  the  mind,  resident 
in  every  human  being,  in  all  ages  and  nations  of 
mankind,  as  "  universal  as  the  seed  of  sin." 

III.  The  great  business  of  every  one  in  religion 
is  to  mind  that  inward  mentor,  and  walk  in  all 
things  according  to  its  demonstrations. 

IV.  By  due  attention  uniformly  given  to  this  rule, 
salvation  is  attained  infallibly  and  in  the  best  man- 
ner. "And  indeed  this  is  the  surest  way  to  become 
a  christian  y 

V.  This  rule  in  religion  is  plenary  and  para- 
mount ;  the  most  noble  and  the  most  excellent : 
far  surpassing  every  other  rule  conceivable. 

VI.  As  a  consequence,  the  scriptures  are  only 


208 


"  a  secondary  rule,"  and  ought  to  be  so  "  esteemed." 
For  they  sustain  to  this  nobler  one,  the  relation  of 
the  streams  to  the  fountain ;  the  effects  to  the  cause ; 
the  production  to  the  producer ;  the  offspring  to 
the  parent ;  the  moon  to  the  sun  :  and  so,  however 
good  in  themselves,  inferior  quite  to  the  other. 

VII.  The  scriptures  are  not  "  the  word  of 
God,"  although  they  contain  his  words  ;  nor  ought 
they  ever  to  be  so  called  or  entitled.^^ 

VIII.  Immediate  inspiration  has  not  ceased  in 
the  church  ;  but  exists  in  all  true  ministers  as  really 
as  it  did  in  the  apostles  :  so  that  "  where  that  doth 

^  not  teach,  words  without  do  make  a  noise  to  no 
^'  purpose." 

IX.  The  same  influence  specifically  is  indispen- 
sable to  the  existence  of  a  christian,  and  "  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  the  building  up  of  true  faith  ;" 
so  that  not  to  possess  it,  is  to  be  only  a  vile  and 
hypocritical  pretender  to  the  name ;  and  hence 
"  how  many  christians,  yea,  and  of  these  great 
masters  and  doctors  of  Christianity,  so  accounted, 
shall  we  justly  divest  of  that  noble  title  !"  says  the 
same  luminary — Barclay. 

X.  There  is  no  true  knowledge  in  religion,  or 
none  worth  having,  but  that  which  depends  on 
"  inward  objective  manifestations  in  the  heart  "  or 
"immediate  revelation:"  and  such  "  testimony  of 
the  Spirit  is  that  alone  by  which  the  true  knowledge 
of  God  hath  been,  is,  and  can  be  only  revealed." 

XI.  All  such  revelations  of  the  "  universal  and 
saving  light,"  must  be  consonant  indeed  with  the 
scriptures,  since  both  liave  a  common  and  compe- 


209 


tent  origin ;  they  "  neither  do  nor  can  ever  contra- 
dict the  outward  testimony  of  the  scriptures,  or 
right  and  sound  reason." 

XII.  StilJ,  these  modern  revelations  are  in  no 
wise  to  be  tried  by  the  scriptures ;  they  "  are  to  be 
subjected  to  the  examination,  neither  of  the  out- 
ward testimony  of  the  scriptures,  nor  of  the  natu- 
ral reason  of  man." 

XIII.  Man  is  such  a  degenerate  creature  that  in 
his  natural  state  he  "  can  know  nothing  aright; 
yea,  his  thoughts  and  conceptions  concerning  God 
and  things  spiritual,  until  he  be  disjoined  from  this 
evil  seed,  and  united  to  the  divine  light,  are  unpro- 
fitable both  to  himself  and  others." 

XIV.  "  God,  out  of  his  infinite  love,  hath  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  hath  given  his  only  Son  a 
light,  that  whosoever  helieveth  in  him  should  be 
saved;  and  this  light  enlighteneth  the  hearts  of  all 
in  a  day,  in  order  to  salvation,  if  not  resisted  :  nor 
is  it  less  universal  than  the  seed  of  sin,  being  the 
purchase  of  his  death,  who  tasted  death  for  evert/ 
many 

XV.  By  this  doctrine  the  difficulties  of  religion 
"  are  easily  solved,"  and  the  catholic  view  of  the 
means  of  grace  entirely  superseded ;  since  the 
heathen  every  where  can  be  saved  in  Christ,  "  if 
they  suffer  his  seed  and  light  to  take  place  (in  which 
light,  communion  with  the  Father  and  Sou  is  en- 
joyed) so  as  of  wicked  men  to  become  holy :"  so 
that  it  is  an  error  to  aver  "  the  absolute  necessity 
of  the  outward  knowledge  "  of  the  death  of  Christ, 

in  order  to  the  obtaining  its  saving  effect ;  among 

27 


210 


whom  the  Remonstrants  of  Holland  have  becfii 
chiefly  wanting,  and  many  other  assertors  of  Uni- 
versal Redemption,  in  that  they  have  not  placed  the 
extent  of  this  salvation  in  that  divine  and  evangeli- 
cal principle  of  light  and  life,  wherewith  Christ 
hath  enlightened  every  man  that  comes  into  the 
world,  which  is  excellently  and  evidently  held  forth 
in  these  scriptures,  Gen.  6  :  3.  Deut.  30  :  14.  John^, 
1  :  7,  8,  9.  Rom.  10  :  8.  Tit.  2  :  11." 

XVI.  Those  who  "  resist  not  this  light — are 
justified  in  the  sight  of  God ;"  since  "  in  them  is 
produced  an  holy,  pure,  and  spiritual  birth  ;"  so 
that    justification — is  all  one  with  sanctification.'* 

XVII.  Those  in  whom  "  this — birth  is  fully 
brought  forth,"  become  presently  "  perfect;"  in 
a  somewhat  qualified  sense,  that  "admits  of  a 
growth ;"  connected  with  the  possibility  of  sinning^ 
where  the  mind  doth  not  most  diligently  and  watch- 
fully attend  nnto  the  Lord." 

XVIII.  There  is  no  such  thing  ordinarily  as  the 
conservation  of  saints,  or  their  infallible  perseve- 
rance to  glory ;  many  saints  on  the  contrary  apos- 
tatize utterly:  yet  there  may  be  attained,  by  some 
rare  ones,  a  condition  of  maturity,  "  from  which 
there  cannot  be  a  total  apostacy." 

XIX.  The  inward  light  in  the  instar  omnium  of 
the  ministry  ;  by  which  all  its  acts  are  to  be  plenarily 
guided :  by  it  alone  can  there  be  a  true  call  of  God 
to  the  work,  or  a  valid  ordination ;  with  it,  the  au- 
thority is  full,  "  without  human  commission  or  lite- 
rature ;"^  in  its  exercises  and  services,  no  salary  is 
to  be  given  or  received  \.  though  possibly,  in  case 


211 


of  want,  what  is  "  needful  for  meat  and  clothing" 
may  be  received  by  preachers,  if  they  feel  "  liberty 
given  them  in  the  Lord;"  about  which,  however, 
the  inward  counsellor  is  in  every  case  specifically 
to  be  consulted. 

XX.  Women  have  as  good  a  right  to  preach  as 
men,  and  are  as  legitimately  and  as  often  called  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry. 

XXI.  "  All  true  and  acceptable  worship  to  God, 
is  offered  in  the  inward  and  immediate  moving  and 
drawing  of  his  own  Spirit,"  without  all  restriction 
"  to  places,  times,  or  persons."  Other  worship,  the 
whole  of  it,  is  resolvable  into  "  superstitions,  will- 
worship,  and  abominable  idolatry  in  the  sight  of 
God ;  which  are  to  be  denied,  rejected,  and  sepa- 
rated from,  in  this  day  of  his  spiritual  arising ;" 
whatever  favors  from  God  or  man  it  might  have 
anciently  received.^'' 

XXII.  "  Baptism  is  a  pure  and  spiritual  thing, 
to  wit,  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  and  fire  ;"  attended 
with  no  outward  observance  :  and  "  the  baptism  of 
infants,  is  a  mere  human  tradition." 

XXIII.  The  Lord's  supper  is  much  in  the  same 
predicament.  It  might  have  been  "  for  the  cause  of 
the  weak — even  used  in  the  church  for  a  time,"  with 
other  obsolete  and  unprofitable  ceremonies  ;  "  all 
which  are  commanded  with  no  less  authority  and 
solemnity  than  the  former ;  yet  seeing  they  are  but 
the  shadows  of  better  things,  they  cease  in  such  as 
have  obtained  the  substance^'' 

XXIV.  The  magistrate  has  no  right  to  inter- 
meddle with  the  affairs  of  the  church  or  the  laws  of 


212 


conscience  ;  but  ought  to  do  his  duty  impartially  in 
his  own  secular  sphere. 

XXV.  All  outward  and  ordinary  signs  of  reve- 
rence and  respect ;  "  such  as  the  taking  off  the  hat 
to  a  man,  the  bowings  and  cringings  of  the  body, 
and  such  other  salutations  of  that  kind  ;"  and  all 
vain  and  unprofitable  sports  ;  all  heathen  number- 
ing of  months,  days,  and  so  forth,  contrary  to  nu- 
merical simplicity ;  all  plural  speech  to  one  person ; 
all  gay  and  beauteous  clothing ;  all  war  and  resis- 
tance of  evil ;  all  swearing,  before  magistrates  and 
elsewhere  ;  all  slavery  ;  and  all  proud  conformity  to 
"  the  world's  people,"  in  words,  manners,  or  equi- 
page :  all  these  are  absolutely  unlawful  and  wrong. 

XXVI.  God  hath  no  absolute  purpose  of  salva- 
tion to  any  individuals  ;  and  it  is  all  a  matter  of 
chance  who  gets  or  stays  converted  to  the  truth  ;  as 
all  have  equal  opportunity  in  the  light,  and  the  will 
is  left  in  every  sense  free  and  fortuitous. 

XXVII.  Respecting  the  "  eternal  damnation  "  of 
the  wicked ;  the  reality  of  hell  torments  ;  the  cer- 
tainty and  evidence  of  a  state  future  and  immortal ; 
the  resurrection  of  the  body  ;  the  millennium  ;  the 
end  of  the  world;  and  the  day  of  judgment:  there 
is  a  remarkable  vacancy  in  all  their  enunciations. 
Barclay  almost  wholly  omits  even  the  incidental 
treatment  of  these  topics  ;  and  is  very  unsatisfactory, 
loose,  and  cursory,  in  what  he  says.  Some  of  the 
most  important  of  them,  I  believe,  he  never  men- 
tions. In  an  index  or  "  table  of  chief  things,"  of 
sixteen  pages,  suffixed  to  his  volume,  there  is  no 
such  "chief  thing"  as  punishment,  icicked,  depra- 


213 


vity,  resurrection,  perdition,  hell,  damnation,  im- 
mortality, eternity,  futurity,  regeneration,  repen- 
tance, humility,  hope,  despair,  assurance,  fanaticism, 
bigotry,  martyrdom,  incarnation,  trinity,  atone- 
ment, expiation,  propitiation,  sacrifice,  justice,  sa- 
tisfaction, penalty,  unpardonable,  pardon,  confes- 
sion, supplication,  intercession,  mediation,  mediator, 
means  of  grace,  mercy,  righteousness,  orthodoxy, 
heterodoxy,  wisdom :  while  such  "  chief  things  " 
are  there  as,  woman,  William  Barclay,  voices,  ves- 
pers, turks,  titles,  tithes,  theseus^  boat,  taulerus,  talk, 
tables,  silence,  shoe-maker,  servetus,  seed,  sect,  sax- 
ony, rustic,  recreations,  ranters,  quakers,  plays, 
physics,  oil,  number,  liturgy,  letter,  laic,  hai  eben 
yokdan,  freely,  exorcism,  ear,  dancing,  clothes,  cler- 
gy, calvinists,  bow,  appearances,  anicetus !  Their 
views  of  sin,  law,  justice,  atonement,  mercy,  ac- 
countability, repentance,  perdition,  genuine  affec- 
tions in  religion  as  contra-distinguished  and  discri- 
minated from  spurious,  and  the  truth  so  clearly  re- 
vealed in  the  word  of  God  that  a  man  (no  matter 
who)  will  be  lost  for  ever  in  point  of  fact,  who  dies 
without  obeying  the  gospel  ;  their  views  of  these 
vital  subjects  of  "  truth  and  soberness  "  are,  I  fear, 
exceedingly  superficial  and  worthless,  vague  and 
erroneous  : — while,  for  the  honor  of  their  omniscient 
light,  they  have  to  act  as  if  they  knew  all  things 
about  all  things ! 

XXVIII.  On  the  subject  of  the  christian  Sabbath, 
or  as  the  beloved  apostle  calls  it.  The  Lord's  day, 
Rev.  1  :  10.  Friends  have  discovered  that  there  is 
no  such  thing  under  the  gospel  ;  that  all  that  was 


214 


judaical  and  evanescent,  as  the  vapors  at  the  rise  of 
light ;  that  to  observe  the  first  day  of  the  week  is 
probably  convenient  and  of  christian  expediency: 
but  that  the  ''fourth  command^''  either  virtually  or 
literally,  has  any  "  moral  obligation,"  they  are  "  not 
so  superstitious  as  to  believe;"  nor  do  they  "  super- 
stitiously  strain  the  scripture  for  another  reason" 
besides  that  of  expediency,  as  they  "  have  meetings 
also  for  iDorship  at  other  times." 

This  is  a  very  evil  feature,  T  think,  of  their  ortho- 
dox system.  Those  who  know  Friends,  in  this  coun- 
try at  least,  may  judge  of  the  principle  by  its  fruits. 
Let  all  observe  their  practices.  They  regard  the  day 
of  rest  as  abrogated,  and  judaical ;  and  typical  mere- 
ly, and  so  temporary :  although  its  obligation 
is  fixed  in  the  decalogue,  where  no  other  com- 
mandment OF  THE  TEN  is  abrogated ;  and  though  it 
is  there  declared  to  be  no  judaizing  day,  but  con- 
tinued from  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  at  that 
time  two  thousand  five  hundred  years  old  when 
the  Jewish  dispensation  commenced ;  and  though 
no  statute  of  abolition  can  be  found  in  the  New 
Testament,  but  simply  an  indication,  sufficient  and 
conclusive,  of  its  change  from  the  severith  to  the  first 
of  the  week,  in  commemoration  of  the  new  crea- 
tion FINISHED  and  all  "  very  good  "  and  infinitely 
more  glorious  than  the  former !  and  though  Jesus 
Christ  declares  to  us  that  "  the  Sabbath  was  made 
for  man  ;"  mark,  he  says  not  for  the  Jews — centuries 
before  they  existed,  but— /or  ma7i .'  and  though  all 
the  moral  reasons  now  exist,  for  something  stronger 
than  expediency  to  bind  the  conscience  of  man  to 


215 


the  service  and  worship  of  his  Creator,  which  ever 
did  exist !  and  though  God  hath  put  his  seal  on  its 
observance  most  notably  in  all  ages  of  the  christian 
era,  and  his  brand  of  judgments  marked  and  terrible 
on  the  violators  of  its  sanctity !  and  though  to  take 
away  the  time  when  God  is  to  be  worshipped,  is  to 
take  away  his  worship  from  the  earth  !  and  though 
the  scath  of  ruin,  menacingly  rests  on  those  places 
of  profligacy  and  infidelity,  in  nominal  Christendom, 
where  the  Sabbath  is  profaned  ;  so  as  to  demon- 
strate palpably  the  fact  that  ^  WITHOUT  THE 
SABBATH,    IS    WITHOUT  CHRISTIANI- 

But  I  have  sketched  an  outline  which  exhibits 
Quakerism  much  as  it  is,  in  its  best  features  ;  for 
all  the  symbols  which  they  show,  are  the  master- 
pieces of  the  society,  of  which  the  vast  majority 
know  only  enough  for  implicit  confidence,  in  what 
their  inspired  leaders  have,  with  care,  concert,  and 
some  perplexity,  prepared  ;  as  their  "yearly  epis- 
tles," and  other  public  documents  ;  which  are  gene- 
rally, in  my  judgment,  both  more  correct,  and  less 
exceptionable  every  way,  than  their  primitive  and 
standard  writings  ;  and  much  better  than  one  in 
twenty  of  their  members,  either  knows,  thinks,  or 
feels.  You,  who  know  what  Christianity  is,  can 
judge  whether  Quakerism  is  at  all  consistent  Avith 
it ;  whether  it  ought  to  be  doctrinally  tolerated  and 
practically  approved  ;  whether  I  err  in  having  some 
special  zeal  for  its  extirpation,  as  a  moral  nuisance 
in  the  community;  and  to  how  great  an  extent  1 
may  have  mistaken  my  duty  in  matter  or  manner. 


216 


while  inveighing  against  a  specious  counterfeit 
which  is  not  only  not  Christianity ,  but  seductive  and 
false  to  the  hopes  of  the  soul !  and  which  (by  its 
ostentatious  pageantry  of  plainness  and  some  quali- 
ties of  sensible  comfort  and  economy  involved  in 
it — which  are  prodigiously  over-valued  ordinarily 
and  the  appeal  of  which  is  to  the  sympathies  and 
the  senses  and  the  temporal  convenience  mainly 
after  all)  obtrudes  itself  plausibly  on  the  feelings  of 
the  "unlearned"  and  the  "unstable;"  who  like 
Quakerism  remarkably ;  even  while  they  dislike  "  the 
holy  scriptures,"  and  impiously  "wrest  them  to 
their  own  destruction."  It  is  no  slander  of  the  so- 
ciety, but  a  plain  and  proveable  verity  which  I  can 
myself  most  solemnly  attest,  that  of  all  sects  of 
serious  professors  in  Christendom,  they  have  a  soli- 
tary preference,  or  rather  pre-eminence,  in  the  esti- 
mate of  infidels!  It  was  the  dying  declaration  of 
the  author  of  the  Age  of  Reason — very  like  the  age 
of  foxian  light — that  he  decisively  preferred  them 
and  wished  to  be  buried  in  their  cemetery !  the  dis- 
tinguished praise  of  the  sage  of  Lanark  and  his  fe- 
male coadjutors,  lias  not  been  more  equivocal  or 
less  cordial,  in  their  late  memorable  missionary 
illuminations  toward  "  the  natives  "  of  the  United 
States !  And  sceptics  of  all  sorts,  socinian  and 
others,  give  them  a  preference,  which  a  christian 
would  abhor!  Seed:?' John,  7:  7.  15:  16-21,  es- 
pecially 19.  "The  seed  of  the  serpent"  is  never 
pleased  or  pacific  toward  "  the  seed  of  the  woman" — 
that  is  toward  Christ  and  christians ;  James,  4 :  4, 
though  sometimes  robed  in  celestial  attire,  its  smooth- 


217 


ness,  and  softness,  and  passivity  of  tenderness,  and 
love  to  every  thing,  commend  its  pretension  to  the 
confidence  of  thousands.  "  For  there  shall  arise  false 
Christs  and  false  prophets,  and  shall  show  great 
signs  and  wonders  ;  insomuch  that,  if  it  were  possi- 
ble, they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect."  Matt.  24  :  24. 

Before  I  conclude  this  prolonged  introduction,  1 
would  offer  some  remarks  on  two  topics  in  connexion 
with  the  synopsis  ;  which,  quoting  from  Barclay 
alone,  I  have  endeavored  so  to  display  as  hopefully 
to  stand  proof  against  even  the  suspicion  of  inten- 
tional wrong. 

The  first  is  the  subject  of  the  trinity.  It  is  my 
own  persuasion  that  the  received  orthodox  state- 
ment of  our  common  creeds,  (those  of  the  church 
of  England,  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  the  Baptist, 
the  Lutheran,  the  Moravian,  and  all  other  protes- 
tants  even  generically  of  the  stamp  of  the  Reforma- 
tion,) is  not  that  of  Friends.  On  the  contrary,  I 
believe  them  all,  and  especially  the  '  orthodox,'  to 
be  at  best,  sabellians,  or  most  equivocal  mystics,  on 
that  grand  article.  They  deny  the  distinction 
OF  persons  in  the  Godhead  ;  the  hypostatical 
description  of  the  divine  nature  !  and  yet  they 
say  so  many  things  that  are  true,  and  so  many 
that  are  imposing,  that  the  absence  of  sagacity 
will  always  favor  their  '  orthodox '  pretension,  more 
than  its  presence.  Penn  is  their  great  cham- 
pion on  this  article,  which  their  greater  champion, 
Barclay,  plainly  evades  :  on  whose  lucubrations  re- 
specting it,  and  those  of  the  modern  '  orthodox,'  I 
also  would  "  show  mine  opinion." 

28 


218 


1 .  Penn  utterly  mis-states  what  he  vihfies ;  using 
person  as  we  and  all  protestants  use  it  not,  as  it  is 
used  on  common  subjects,  implying  a  distinct  ex- 
istence. Hence  he  resolves  our  doctrine  into  tri- 
theism ;  and  entertains  his  readers  with  playing  off 
a  reductio  ad  ahsurdmn,  with  scintillating  fire- 
works and  other  "  sparks "  that  his  light  "  has 
kindled,"  against  t^ie  absurdities  that  he  makes  him  - 
self ;  insolently  and  unfairly  sporting  about  "  three 
eternal  entities  "  or  three  eternal  nothings,"  and 
so  forth.  He  does  it  all  too,  on  the  assumption  that 
our  doctrine  is  essentially  ruinous  to  the  unity  of 
the  divine  nature,  as  if  we  believed  in  three  Gods  ; 
and  as  if  he,  and  the  lights  that  see  with  him,  were 
the  only  sound  defenders  of  the  faith  that  "  there 
is  but  one  only,  the  living  and  true  God."  He  im- 
plies that  "  separate  and  distinct "  personalties,  is 
Gur  creed  ;  as  if  what  is  "  distinct "  in  some  re- 
spects, must  necessarily  be  "  separate  "  in  all  or  in 
the  same  respects :  and  so,  when  he  has  got,  by 
that  Jesuitical  sophism  or  rather  "  sly  "  involution, 
the  persons  of  the  Godhead  "  separated,"  his  induc- 
tive absurdities  become  considerable. 

2,  It  is  impossible  for  enUghtened  believers  of 
the  truth  to  acknowledge  the  corrupters  of  this  re- 
vealed doctrine :  and  all  the  sect  are  in  this  con- 
demnation. Of  one  party,  no  one  will  doubt  that 
this  is  truth.  And  who  are  the  ^orthodox  V  Those 
who  uphold  William  Penn  as,  an  inspired  and  illus- 
trious teacher  in  religion,  and  a  most  worthy  minis- 
ter of  Jesus  Christ !  who  endorse  his  Socinian  or 
SabeHian  errors,  and  canonize  his  revilings  against 


219 

the  truth  !  who  vindicate  equally  him,  and  Barclay, 
aud  Fox,  as  inspired  teachers  sent  from  God !  and 
who  place  their  writings  on  a  par  with  "  the  oracles 
of  God ;"  declaring  them,  and  more  constantly 
honoring  them  in  conduct,  as  of  even  "  greater  " 
authority. 

3.  Their  confession  on  this  article  is  very  am- 
biguous and  insufficient.  At  best  it  seems  to  me 
rather  an  obscuration  than  an  elucidation  of  what 
they  believe — if  indeed  they  do  formally  and  fully 
believe  any  thing.  To  tell  us  that  they  believe  in 
"  the  sacred  Three,"  or  "  the  Three  that  bear  re- 
cord in  heaven,"  is  not  enough;  nor  yet,  in  the 
words  of  Penn,  that  they  "  never  have  disowned  a 
Father,  Word,  and  Spirit,  which  are  One,  but  men's 
inventions ;"  nor  yet  that  they  believe  them  "  ac- 
cording to  the  scriptures:"  which  last  is  a  mere 
circle.  It  is  like  saying,  "  I  believe  in  all  truth ; 
my  creed  is  orthodoxy ;  I  believe  exactly  right ;  or, 
I  believe  the  whole  Bible !"  It  is  plainly  no  symbol 
of  faith,  and  no  symbol  at  all,  where  one  will  not 
state,  in  plain  and  definite  language,  the  premises, 
and  what  he  does  totidem  verbis  believe.  In  such 
case  a  man  may  refer  to  cited  passages,  for  illus- 
tration or  for  proof;  but  never  properly  for  state- 
ment !  This,  honesty  requires  him  to  give  in  the 
language  and  style  of  definition,  using  the  perspi- 
cuous language  of  his  mother  tongue  and  the  words 
of  his  own  conceptions  on  the  topic.  It  is  plain 
that  to  quote  scripture,  is  not  the  way  of  showing 
what  I  believe  or  the  sense  of  scripture  as  I  entertain 
it.   The  truth  is  given  to  the  church,  for  confession 


220 


and  diffusion  ;  and  through  the  church,  to  all  man- 
kind "  for  the  obedience  of  faith  :"  and  hence  the 
policy  of  a  private  creed,  or  the  privilege  of  holding 
one  thing  and  preaching  or  professing  another,  is 
abomination,  is  odious  sin  !  It  is  just  the  way  which 
apostles  did  not;  2  Cor.  2  :  17 ;  4  :  1-3.  1  Thess. 
2  :  3-20  ;  and  the  very  way  which  any  moderns  do 
sinningly  alone.  Paul  merely  uses  the  language  of 
his  slanderers,  in  2  Cor.  12  :  16,  that  he  may  in- 
dignantly refute  it,  as  he  does !  it  is  shocking  to 
observe  some  authors  (though  Friends  I  now  mean 
less)  mistake  it  utterly ;  and  abuse  it  too,  as  the 
sanction  of  an  odious  system  of  priest-craft  and 
dishonesty ! 

4.  Friends  are  hence  "  tender  "  of  adopting  the 
common  language  of  trinitarians  ;  disapproving  it 
and  substituting  the  words  of  scripture,  in  a  way 
faulty  and  deceptive  !  "  They  have  carefully  avoided 
entangling  themselves  by  the  use  of  unscriptural 
terms,  invented  to  define  Him  who  is  undefinable, 
scrupulously  adhering  to  the  safe  and  simple  lan- 
guage of  the  holy  scriptures,  as  contained  in  Matt. 
28  :  18, 19,  and  1  John,  5  :  7."  Evans'  Exposition, 
p.  39.  I  object  to  this  (1)  that  the  "  terms  "  were 
not  so  "  invented."  It  was  not  to  define  Him;  but 
the  doctrine  which  we  believe  to  be  revealed  of  him, 
that  the  terms  are  used  :  and  when  used,  they  were 
not  invented,  but  only  applied.  (2)  Friends  would 
become  "  entangled,"  it  seems,  by  using  them. 
Why  \  Other  professors  are  disentangled  and  re- 
lieved by  their  use.  Do  they  believe  something  very 
different  from  the  common  faith,  after  all,  '  ortho- 


221 


dox '  as  they  are  1   (3)  But  they  say  the  terms  are 
"unscriptural."  Which  one?  that  of  trinity  but 
this  means  only  threeness  or  the  quahty  of  being 
three  in  some  sense !    Do  they  believe  then  that 
"  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost," 
are  three  in  no  sense,  because  they  are  confessedly 
one  in  a  more  obvious  sense  \  and  yet  do  they  be- 
lieve in  the  sacred  Three  X  Three — what  \  Is  there 
no  noun  in  the  language,  with  which  a  grammatical 
conscience,  that  peculiarly  respects  the  affection  of 
number,  can  parse  it  possibly  \    We  say,  three  per- 
sons or  personalities ;  and  if  you  ask  us  what  we 
mean  by  such  "  unscriptural "  words :  we  reply, 
first,  what  do  you  mean,  by  a  plural  adjective  that 
agrees  with  no  noun  ]  what  do  Friends  mean,  or 
do  they  mean  nothing,  by  the  word  "  three  1"  Here 
I  think,  if  the  glory  of  the  mercy-seat  did  not  awe 
us  to  reserve,  so  near  the  ineffable  shechinaii  that 
abides  there,  we  might  well  adopt  the  facetiousness 
of  Penu,  and  say  that  Friends  believe  in  three 
"  nothings  ;"  or,  believe  nothing  in  the  "  three !" 
It  is  just,  to  press  them  here  :  for  the  difficulty  on 
their  part  is  real,  it  is  demonstrated,  and  it  is  evaded. 
Sometimes  they  even  claim  to  believe  the  trinity, 
in  an  unqualified  averment.    Says  Barclay  of  an 
opponent,  (Brown,)  "  he  will  needs  infer  our  de- 
nying of  the  trinity,  albeit  he  cannot  deny  but  he 
finds  it  owned  by  me."   Strangely  "  owned "  in- 
deed !    If  Jesus  Christ  should  "  own  "  him,  in  the 
day  of  judgment,  as  ambiguously,  it  will  be  at  least 
questionable  which  side  of  the  Judge  is  the  "  right " 
one  !    Shortly  afterward,  he  would   "  know  of" 


222 


Brown,  "  in  what  scripture  he  finds  these  words, 
that  the  Spirit  is  a  distinct  person  of  the  Trinity?" 
He  so  "  owns  "  the  trinity  then,  as  to  deny  the  per- 
sonahty  of  the  three  that  constitute  it !  or  does  he 
deny  this  only  of  the  third,  and  not  of  the  second, 
or  the  first  ^  Wiiat  evidence  has  he  that  the  Father 
is  a  person  ;  and  not  a  principle,  the  mere  primum 
mobile  or  '  eternal  cause,'  of  Plato  1  or  impulsive  light 
of  Fox  ]  Will  Friends  then  (and  Barclay  is  their 
confession  of  faith)  divest  each  of  the  three  of  per- 
sonality ?  and  so  have  an  impersonal  God  \  a  divinity 
without  a  person  a  God  who  is — the  mere  effigies 
of  mechanical  atheism  !  And  is  this  their  vaunted 
and  precious  '  orthodoxy  V  If  otherwise,  where  will 
they  attach  personality  !  To  the  Father  \  what ! 
and  deny  it  to  the  Son  %  To  the  Son — and  have 
two  Gods,  according  to  Fenn  \  To  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  and  not  to  the  Spirit  1  or,  to  all  three — 
and  have  three  Gods,  according  to  the  same  in- 
spired authority'?  or,  to  some  one  or  two  of  the 
three,  exclusively  \  Pray,  what  evidence  have  we  of 
the  personality  of  any  one  of  them,  which  does  not 
also  demonstrate  the  personality  of  each  of  them  ? 
Is  the  Father  not  a  person  \  Or,  when  Friends  pro- 
fess to  believe  in  the  Spirit,  do  they  mean  to  deny 
his  personality?  and  yet  say  that  he  "is  God?" 
what !  is  God  impersonal  again  X  or,  is  it  less  than 
atheism  to  resolve  the  divinity  into  an  impersonal 
existence  ;  tlie  mere  principium  et  fons  of  neces- 
sitated being !  The  God  of  Friends,  I  experimen- 
tally know,  is  little  other  than  an  impersonal  influ- 
ence  or  principle.   In  short,  nothing  is  plainer  than 


223 


that  the  revised  modern  *  Exposition,'  of  what 
"  Friends  believe  "  on  this  high  article,  needs  far- 
ther expounding,  and  is  necessarily  liable  to  all 
the  difficulties  which  Penn  infers  against  the  true 
and  full  trinitarian  symbols.  It  is  even  in  a  much 
worse  predicament  than  that  into  which  he  reduces 
the  true  doctrine  sophistically ;  since  it  simulates 
away  the  advantages  of  the  doctrine,  which  are 
adamantine,  and  which,  while  sinking  in  its  own 
muddy  waters,  Quakerism  still  assumes  or  affects  ! 
Yet  really,  it  has  no  advantages.  It  makes  more 
difficulties  than  it  finds,  and  teaches  all  its  friends 
to  make  them  continuously.  It  defines  nothing,  and 
it  settles  nothing.  Besides,  it  leaves  them  to  be- 
lieve— ^chat  ?  I  answer,  vagueness,  words,  smoke, 
a  mere  code  of  negatives,  and  a  great  parade  of 
'inspired^  orthodoxy!  My  great  reason,  however, 
for  saying  what  this  context  contains,  is  two-fold — 
to  show  them  that,  if  they  are  sound  in  what  they 
profess,  the  very  same  difficulties  (greatly  increased) 
rest  oppressively  upon  them,  which  the  Unitarian 
Penn,  and  all  other  revilers  of  the  truth,  allege  against 
our  doctrine  :  and  to  show  also  that  there  is  no  so- 
lution possible  to  language  or  to  thought,  which  so 
elucidates  scripture,  establishes  faith,  and  breaks  an 
adversary — debellarc  superhos^^ — as  that  doctrine, 
which  the  wise  and  the  good  of  universal  Christen- 
dom, .that  have  been  at  all  distinguished  for  these 
qualities,  have  eminently  believed  !  Second.  I  would 
tell  Friends  that  it  is  puerile  and  silly  to  object 
to  any  word,  merely  because  it  is  "  unscriptural." 
Where  is  the  expression  "inward  hght"  found,  in 


224 

those  scriptures  \  Were  it  well  in  me  to  object  to 
it,  merely  on  that  ground  \  or  to  silent  meetings, 
convincement,  outicard  testimony,  plain  language, 
and  a  number  of  others  used  by  the  society  \  What 
man,  that  objects  not  to  the  thing  affirmed  in  John, 
1 :  14,  would  ever  object  to  the  term,  ' un scriptural' 
as  it  is,  of  incarnation  ?  Besides,  this  silly  softness 
ought  much  more  to  object  to  the  translation  of  the 
inspired  scriptures  at  all :  since  every  word,  it  may 
be,  of  the  new  language  is  '  unscriptural.'  Our  word 
God  is  unscriptural,  primitively  heathen  and  druidi- 
cal ;  for  no  such  word  occurs  in  the  scriptures,  be- 
fore they  were  translated  "  by  the  will  of  man !"  I 
say  again,  the  softness,  so  "  tender,"  of  which  I 
speak,  is  infinitely  silly.  It  would  disgrace  a  school- 
boy !  I  add — those  who  have  studied  the  circum- 
ference, and  the  radii,  and  the  centre  of  the  wheel 
of  universal  heresy,  as  successive  errorists  are  deve- 
loped or  as  history  turns  it  to  the  view,  (and  nothing 
actually  new  comes  up  in  its  modern  demonstra- 
tions,) know  that  where  the  thing  on  any  subject  is 
soundly  believed,  the  term  that  suits  it  is  seldom  an 
offence  or  a  difficulty.  And  I  can  see  clearly,"  as 
well  as  feel  powerfully,  that  Friends  may  have  some 
deeper  reason  than  the  allegation  of  "  unscriptural," 
when  they  reject  the  terms  trinity,  person,  and 
others  of  the  sort,  in  their  confession  of  what  they 
beheve. 

It  sounds  rather  queer  to  me  that  Friends  should 
all  at  once  grow  more  enamored  and  reverential 
of  that  book,  which  is  not  "  the  word  of  God,"  than 
all  its  noblest  unsuspected  friends  I  Just  here  they 


225 


must  have — nothing  but  scripture  language  !  Just 
here  "  inward  Hght "  becomes  very  scriptural ;  and 
what  is  scriptural  becomes  "  a  more  noble  and  ex- 
cellent rule,"  if  not  "  all  their  salvation,  and  all  their 
desire  !"  Third.  We  use  the  term  person,  because, 
among  other  reasons,  it  suits  the  case  better  than 
any  other :  we  use  it  in  a  sense  special  and  appro- 
priate— to  suit  exactly  that  discrimination  of  the 
Godhead,  as  "  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  which  the  disclosures  and  the  usages 
of  scriptural  revelation  abundantly  warrant  and  re- 
quire !  As  previously  shown,  Vv^e  neither  understand 
nor  believe  any  thing  about  the  essential  mode  of 
the  divine  existence,  the  mode  of  the  trinal  deity ; 
or  how  it  is  that  "  the  Word  was  in  the  beginning 
with  God  !"  We  only  believe  the  fact.    This  is 
revealed,  definable,  intelligible  ;  "  the  great  mystery 
of  godliness,"  incontrovertibly  !    The  distinction  is 
indispensable  in  all  correct  language  and  thought, 
touching  the  economical  relations  of  the  divine  per- 
sons.   The  Father  sent  the  Son ;  the  Son  came 
into  the  world  ;  the  Spirit  applies  and  seals  redemp- 
tion in  our  hearts.    Did  the  Father  die  for  us"?  did 
the  Son  accept  the  atonement  \  did  the  Spirit  pro- 
nounce our  absolution  for  his  sake  1  Is  it  not  in 
certain  aspects  proi^er  to  one  to  perform  what  it  is 
not  proper  to  the  others  to  perform  I  Must  we  then 
distinguish  or  confound  I  And  can  we  be  correct 
while  denuding  the  Godhead  of  all  personality  1  or 
restricting  it  to  any  one,  and  denying  it  of  course  to 
two  others  of  "  the  sacred  three  !"    We  use  these 
'  unscriptnral '  terms,  for  reasons  so  valid  and  so 

29 


% 


226 


worthy,  that  we  see  no  reason  to  intermit  their 
use;  but  more  and  more  to  retain  it.  They  are  fun- 
damental in  their  archetypes  ;  and  indispensable  in 
the  symbols  of  "  a  good  confession."  But  fom-th, 
I  deny  that  they  are  '  unscriptural.'  Most  evidently 
the  thing  is  there,  which  they  signify.  If  it  is,  then 
a  proper  and  apposite  term,  a  term  expressive  and 
philosophically  legitimate,  as  person  is,  to  represent 
the  thing,  is  every  way  correct  and  not  rightly 
termed  '  unscriptural.'  This  is  more  important  to 
be  seen,  on  an  article  of  faith  that  is  primary  even 
among  fundamentals;  and  which,  like  an  everlast- 
ing rock  of  central  ocean,  the  surges  of  heresy  dash 
against,  only  to  break  themselves.  "  When  he,  the 
Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,"  &c.  says  Christ.  John 
16  :  7,  13,  14.  In  the  same  connection,  he  often 
calls  him  Comforter  (7tapax?^y!rog)  or  Paraclete  ;  the 
same  word  which  is  applied  personally  to  the  Sa- 
vior himself,  in  1  John,  2:1.  In  the  passage  above, 
he  is  masculine  in  the  original,  although  it  refers  to 
"  the  Spirit  of  truth,"  in  immediate  apposition  ;  and 
the  word  spirit  in  the  Greek  is  neuter  :  as  used  on 
purpose  to  indicate  personality.  Thus  the  masculine 
pronoun  exeivog  and  the  masculine  6v,  are  used  fami- 
liarly in  the  same  connection.  See  14  :  26.  15  :  26. 
16  :  8,  13,  14,  to  which  I  refer  for  specimens  of  the 
style  that  pervades  the  Bible  :  a  style  that  will  bear 
inspection,  experience,  usage.  What  diluting  folly 
would  it  be,  as  Dr.  Dwight  and  others  have  success- 
fully shown,  to  render  the  phraseology  of  scripture 
on  this  subject  impersonally,  almost  any  where! 
But  the  very  term  person  is  used.    See  2  Cor. 


227 


2  :  10 — "  in  the  person  of  Christ ;"  says  the  blessed 
Paul.  The  same  word  or  phrase  exactly,  in  4  :  6, 
is  repeated  ;  and  might  be  well  rendered,  "  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ." 
2  Thess.  1  :  9  is  another  instance ;  "  who  shall  be 
punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  pre- 
sence (Greek — person)  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the 
glory  of  his  power."  I  will  quote  only  one  other 
example  ;  Heb.  1:3.  "  who,  being  the  brightness 
of  his  glory  and  the  express  image  of  his  person  :" 
whose  1  The  person  of  the  Father  !  yes,  and  as  dis- 
tinguished, by  necessary  implication,  from  the  person 
of  the  Son  :  and  both  as  persons  in  the  Godhead  ! 
But,  I  forbear.  In  adverting  to  these  specimens  of 
what  is  scriptural,  it  is  not  my  plan  to  write  a  disser- 
tation on  the  trinity.  I  must  remark,  however,  once 
more,  fifth,  That  Friends  are  in  a  dilemma  which 
their  light  has  made,  and  from  which  to  be  extri- 
cated is  possible  only  in  one  way — and  that  is,  can- 
didly, as  individuals  or  as  a  society,  to  renounce  the 
great  meteor  of  their  delusion  !  They  are  at  best  in 
the  common  predicament  of  men.  In  truth,  i.  e. 
apart  from  a  wonted  simulation  of  being  inspired, 
THEY  KNOW  NOTHING  in  thoology  that  the  Bible  has 
not  directly  or  indirectly  taught  them ;  and  why  will 
they  not  honestly  acknowledge  so  certain  a  truth  ?  If 
they  would  only  acquire  a  release  or  manumission 
from  the  spell  of  ignorance,  and  fatuity,  and  real 
DISHONESTY ;  and  wilhngly  own  their  indebtedness  to 
"  the  oracles  of  God  ;"  they  might  then  be  helped, 
by  "  the  Bridegroom  "  and  "  the  Bride,"  to  make  a 
proficiency  in  heavenly  wisdom,  from  which  now 


228 


their  sincere  sorcery  necessarily  precludes  them! 
God  will  be  no  party  to  a  cause  '•  that  lovetli  or 
maketh  a  lie  " — as  Quakerism  is  !  I  have  little  or 
no  hope  of  their  valid  improvement  until  their 
foundations  of  falsehood  are  exploded  ;  and  so  con- 
vinced is  my  whole  soul  of  this,  that  I  avow  it  as 
steadfastly :  whatever  some  judicious  ones,  who 
have  comparatively  never  attended  to  the  subject, 
may  think  or  pronounce  in  the  opposite.  "  They 
that  forsake  the  law,  praise  the  wicked :  but  such 
as  keep  the  law,  contend  with  them."  Prov. 
28  :  4,  5,  9,  13,  18,  23.  I  reject  therefore  the  idea 
that  Friends,  at  their  "  best  estate,"  are  '  orthodox ' 
or  unequivocal,  on  the  revealed  doctrine  of  the 
Godhead. 

It  is  my  own  conviction  that  the  power  of  the 
Quaker  system  is  much  more  human  than  divine  ; 
excessively  more  of  the  man  than  the  Master ;  more 
fixed  in  dogmatizing,  incomparably,  than  in  de- 
monstration :  that,  apart  from  influence  sectarian 
and  clanish,  there  is  precious  little  of  pure  chris- 
tian influence  among  them.  Their  leaders  know 
not,  learn  not,  study  not,  teach  not,  the  pure 
expounded  sense  of  "the  oracles  of  God  ;"  and 
hence  their  Christianity  is  mainly  as  equivocal 
and  false,  as  their  vaunted  inspiration  is  a  ridi- 
culous conceit,  a  most  impudent  lie,  a  fundamen- 
tal delusion  and  cheat  of  the  destroyer !  The 
whole  system  is  a  mystical  and  false  invention  of 
men  ;  founded  in  falsehood  of  the  most  insidious 
kind,  which  pervades  and  characterizes  the  whole 
concern  of  principles  and  persons — so  far  as  they 


229 


are  purely  and  exclusively  under  its  influence.  Who 
can  honestly  or  consistently  deny  this  1  I  answer — 
only  those  who  are  willing  to  endorse  their  preten- 
sions to  immediate  inspiration  !  I  do  not  say  that 
no  better  influence  comes  on  some  of  them  in  spite 
of  their  system,  "The  sun  of  righteousness  "  may 
shine  through  a  mist,  and  vivify  even  the  mental 
surface  that  his  beams  affect :  and  is  the  mist  to  be 
praised  for  that  1 

One  ill  feature  of  their  system  is  that  implicated 
in  the  forementioned  topics — the  virtual  impersona- 
lity of  their  God.  They,  all  of  them,  refuse  to  allow 
personality  to  the  names  of  the  Godhead.  They  say, 
the  Spirit  is  God — but  deny  his  personality :  and 
they  just  as  much  deny  it,  distinctively,  and  wholly, 
to  the  Father  and  to  the  Son;  resolving  this  into 
their  "tender"  respect  for  the  "secondary  rule" — 
almost  as  if  that  were  a  person  I  Now  what  I  fur- 
thermore allege  is  that  in  effect  they  deny  it  to  the 
Godhead.  I  allege  this  as  a  fact,  rather  than  an  ar- 
gument ;  and  write  it  as  a  witness  rather  than  a 
disputer.  Their  theology  is  debilitated,  and  ren- 
dered effete  and  powerless,  by  their  totality  within ; 
by  an  impersonal  divinity  of  uncertain  attributes, 
confused  definition,  and  most  mystified  sanctity. 
Their  God  is — a  principle,  seed,  light,  and  so  forth, 
inserted  in  the  soul  ;  "a  measure  of  that  power, 
virtue,  spirit,  life,  and  grace,  that  was  in  Christ 
Jesus  :  thus  the  seed  of  the  kingdom,  as  a  redeem- 
ing principle,  is  placed  in  the  heart  of  every  indi- 
vidual, ready  to  expand  with  the  opening  faculties 
of  the  soul,  and  to  take  the  government  of  it, 


230 


from  the  first  dawn   of  intellectual  life  :  the  gift 
of  grace,  as  an  operative  power  in  the  hearts  of 
men,  was  universally  dispensed  to  the  whole  hu- 
man race  :  by  whose  inward  operations  in  our  hearts, 
we  are  sanctified  and  prepared  for  an  inheritance 
eternal  in  the  heavens  :"  so  that  the  greatest  con- 
demnation "  would  be  to  resist  that  holy  seed,  which, 
as  minded,  would  lead  and  incline  every  one  to  be- 
lieve it  as  it  is  offered  unto  them ;  though  it  revealeth 
not  in  every  one  the  outward  and  explicit  knowledge 
of  it,  nevertheless  it  always  assenteth  to  it  where  it 
is  declared."    It  "ought  to  be  distinguished  from 
every  other  influence  which  actuates  the  human 
mind.  We  therefore  profess  and  firmly  believe,  that 
the  light  of  Christ,  in  the  heart,  is  an  unerring 
guide,  and  the  primary  rule  of  faith  and  practice — 
that  it  is  the  05^  only  medium  ,-£3  through  which 
we  can  truly  and  livingly  attain  to  the  tt?'  know- 
ledge of  God,  and  the  mysteries  of  his  heavenly 
kingdom.    That  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
must  be  sensibly  experienced,  in  order  to  be  avail- 
ing to  us,  is  evident,  in  the  very  nature  of  things. 
To  experience  this  essential  qualification,  it  is  our 
duty  to  retire  inwardly  to  the  measure  of  divine 
grace.    We  believe  that  the  solemn  duty  of  vocal 
prayer  requires  a  special  impulse.  Whenever 
the  gospel  is  really  preached,  it  is  preached  bap- 
tizingly  =,£3)  01?'  in  a  greater  or  less  degree.  We 
profess  the  same  faith,  and  the  guidance  of  the 
same  unerring  principle."  I  have  selected  the  above 
'  orthodox '  specimens  from  "  The  testimony  of  the 
Society  of  Friends  on  the  continent  of  America  ;" 


231 


published  in  1830 ;  as  one  of  the  most  improted 
specimens  of  Quakerism  ;  in  which  however,  as  the 
last  sentence  shows,  they  identify  themselves  with 
the  whole  foxian  mass  of  by-gone  inspiration  : 
evincing,  what  is  morally  necessary,  that  any  con- 
sistent Friend  must  go  the  ichole,  for  the  system. 
And  why  do  they  exclude  the  poor  Hicksites,  who 
are  certainly  Quakers,  and  just  as  much  inspired 
as  was  Fox  himself !  In  that  famous  '  Testimony,' 
they  call  the  persons  of  the  Godhead,  in  the  sophis- 
tical abuse  of  Penn,  "  separate  and  distinct ;''  and 
declare  that  they  "reject  the  terms"  not  only,  but 
consider  them  "  as  conveying  ideas  too  gross  to  be 
admitted  ;"  while  they  deny  all  distinct  personality 
to  each  of  the  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven, 
the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  " 
believe  "  [that]  these  three  are  one."  I  have  en- 
deavored to  select  the  above  fairly,  as  showing  their 
sense  of  them,  altering  nothing,  except  by  the 
hands,  which  I  have  placed  near  passages  that  I 
wished  to  be  particularly  observed.  Let  no  one  for- 
get their '  orthodox'  patronage. 

Let  the  reader  consider  that  this  impersonal  di- 
vinity icithin,  is  the  great  leveller  and  Icavener 
of  their  system  ;  that  whatever  it  appears,  when 
dressed  up  in  its  best  to  go  abroad  over  "  the  con- 
tinent of  America,"  its  home  character,  its  matter 
of  fact  identity,  its  real  influence  and  pious  prac- 
tisings  every  day,  "in  meeting"  and  elsewhere,  is 
interior,  indefinite,  delusive,  fanatical,  super-spirit- 
ual, "unerring,"  and  inspired!  In  the  name  of  the 
great  God  I  proclaim — that  the  system  is  funda- 


232 


mentally  wrong  ;  it  is  not  Christianity ;  it  is  an 
abominable  delusion ;  which  it  is  the  duty  of  all 
men,  aad  very  sacredly  of  all  christians,  uni- 
tedly to  reject,  deny,  and  reprove ;  "  having  no  fel- 
lowship" with  the  works  of  its  "darkness,"  its  pre- 
tension, and  its  pompous  folly !  All  its  efforts  will 
not  do,  for  those  who  have  their  eyes  open  and  are 
satisfied  with  Christianity.  It  is  sinking  in  the  wa- 
ters of  its  own  perturbation  ;  and  this  conspiracy  of 
"  yearly  meetings,"  and  the  charity  of  the  ill-in- 
formed, may  only  avail  to  elevate  it  above  the  wave 
for — a  little  longer  breathing,  before  it  sinks,  by  its 
own  weight,  to  rise  no  more — till  the  day  of  judg- 
ment !  The  anathema  of  the  eternal  God,  "  the 
Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,"  rests  on 
that  system  that  dares  to  mystify  his  revelation,  de- 
clare it  7iot  his  word,  and  tell  the  world,  as  one  of 
its  'orthodox'  statements  on  "the  continent  of 
America,"  that  the  universal  inward  light  is  "  an 
unerring  guide,  and  the  primary  rule  of  faith  and 
practice ;"  italicising  it  themselves,  and  proclaiming 
it  at  the  same  time  "the  only  medium"  of  the 
saving  knowledge  of  God !  And  this  is  ortho- 
doxy !— this  the  stuff  which  the  church  of  God  is  re- 
quired charitably  to  succor,  sanction,  fellowship  ! 

Any  unprejudiced  man  of  sense  can  see  that  it  is 
all  nothing  but  'orthodox'  materialism;  with  its 
sensible  influences,  "  the  operative  power — placed 
in  the  heart  of  every  individual ;  ready  to  expand — 
and  take  the  government,"  no  doubt.  Very  much 
like  the  little  cramped  mainspring  of  a  just-wound- 
np  watch,  tending  mechanically  to  start  all  the 


233 


vvlieels,  "ready  to  expand  and  take  the  govern- 
ment," and  make  all  the  subaltern  machinery 
hum  again  ;  if  one  would  just  "  retire  inwardly  " 
and  clear  the  way  for  it,  and  unfix  the  balance- 
wheel  of  a  sound  mind.  It  is  ignorant  and  void 
of  spirituality : — as  spiritual  as  impulse,  and  sensir 
hlc  influences  ;  as  spiritual  as  clock-work,  and  the 
difference  between  rest  and  motion  ;  as  spiritual 
as — machinery,  stagnant  or  going,  with  its  "  mea- 
sure of  that  power,  virtue,  spirit,  life,  grace,  seed, 
principle,  light  within,"  and  so  forth:  but  not  so 
spiritual  as — chemistry  or  common  sense.  Blind 
is  the  dotard  who  can  think  it  the  same  with  Chris- 
tianity. 

I  have  always  observed  that  when  the  human 
mind  adopts  any  false  system  of  religion,  it  com- 
mences its  ingenious  toils  of  devout  sophistry  and 
specious  lying  to  sustain  it.  Hence  he  that  either 
"  loveth  "  or  "  maketli  a  lie,"  turns  to  it  in  confor- 
mity, and  is  thereafter  sincerely  and  sinfully  de- 
ceived: and  the  lie  in  turn  makes  him!  O  the 
danger  every  way,  to  character,  to  state,  to  des- 
tiny, of  a  false  system  of  religion!  I  regard  it  as 
beyond  conception  or  description  cursed  of  God 
and  execrable  to  saints.  I  do  not  say  that  the  ad- 
vocates of  Quakerism  know  that  they  are  lying  : 
but  convinced  I  am  in  the  sight  of  God  that  they 
might  know  it!  they  might  but  for  this — a  false 
system  of  religion  is  the  most  deceitful  thing  in  the 
world  :  for,  it  seems  as  if  its  helpers  were  helping 
God,  doing  duty,  defending  holiness,  co-operating 
with  Jesus  Christ,  and  performing  prodigies  of  be- 

30 


234 


neficence.  In  this  way  the  mind  feels,  whatever  it 
thinks,  as  if  it  was  prosperously  '  working  its  pas- 
sage '  to  heaven :  hence,  the  greatest  enemy  it 
meets,  is  one  that  incorruptly  liolds  the  truth  and 
manifests  it.  Hence  the  only  way  to  make  an 
opposing  demonstration  of  any  value,  is  to  with- 
stand it  courageously  and  with  aggressive  onset. 
Half-way  measures  will  only  nourish  the  hydra  till 
more  heads  are  grown.  And  who  knows  not  that 
such  wisdom  is  not  "  from  above,"  and  hath  its  de- 
nunciation only  in  the  book  of  God  !  That  sorry 
softness  with  its  eyes  shut,  that  asks  quarter  for 
error,  would,  at  some  safer  opportunity,  ask  license 
for  sin  :  for  often  the  brood  of  its  sympathies  are 
marvellously  like  "  a  generation  of  vipers,"  whom 
true  benevolence  would  rather  warn  to  "  escape 
the  damnation  of  hell." 

The  other  topic,  on  which  I  design  to  remark,  is 
that  of  war  and  the  passive  endurance  of  injuries. 
Barclay  gives  the  strange  views  of  Friends  in  the 
following  formal  proposition,  on  which  he  enlarges  ; 
"  That  it  is  not  lawful  for  christians  to  resist  evil,  or 
to  war  or  fight  in  any  case."  This  is  in  brief  exactly 
what  they  profess.  Without  discussing  the  volu- 
minous theme,  I  will  state  at  least  some  of  the 
results,  in  which  my  own  conviction  rests,  in 
opposition  to  their  views,  which  I  once  "verily 
thought  "  true. 

1.  Friends  magnify  the  relative  importance  of 
the  matter,  out  of  symmetry  and  against  apostolic 
example.  They  appear  to  me,  many  of  them,  to 
place  their  views  of  pacification, — ^just  where  Paul 


235 


puts  "Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified;"  at  the 
centre  of  the  system.  The  most  important  pacifi- 
cation in  the  workl  is  that  with  God  through  the 
glorious  atonement !  Thus,  often  have  I  conversed 
with  a  Friend  about  the  way  of  salvation — when, 
instead  of  any  fixity  of  thought  to  the  point,  he 
would  go  off  at  a  tangent  and  with  a  noise,  inquir- 
ing, '  Does  thee  believe  in  the  lawfulness  of  war^ 
or  that  any  christian  can  be  a  soldier  V  Barclay  in- 
deed seems  to  think  that  the  things  are  totally 
incompatible  ;  so  that  the  man  who  can  reconcile 
them,  "  may  be  supposed  also  to  have  found  a  way 
to  reconcile  God  with  the  devil,  Christ  with  anti- 
christ, light  with  darkness,  and  good  with  evil. 
But  if  this  is  impossible,  as  indeed  it  is,  so  will  also 
the  other  be  impossible ;  and  men  do  but  deceive 
themselves  and  others,  while  they  boldly  adventure 
to  establish  such  absurd  and  impossible  things." 
This,  it  must  be  confessed,  is  not  begging  the 
question ! 

2.  They  say  many  things  here,  which,  however 
true,  are  not  to  the  purpose :  As  that  war  is  a  great 
and  dreadful  evil ;  that  revenge  is  wrong ;  and  that 
soldiers  are  often  wicked  and  revengeful.  There 
is  no  need  of  saying  what  nobody  disputes.  The 
question  is — Is  war,  or  the  taking  of  life  in  certain 
cases,  or  all  sorts  of  resistance  of  evil,  positively 
unlawful  \  and  that  not  "  for  christians  "  only,  but 
for  all  men  ;  so  that,  if  their  position  be  true,  it  can 
be  done  at  all  by  any  one,  only  in  a  way  of  sinning 
against  God  l  This  is  what  I  understand  them  to 
affirm  ;  and  their  doctrine,  in  argument  and  fact. 


236 


extends  to  capital  punishment,  and  the  power  and 
functions  of  the  magistracy — nay,  to  the  very  or- 
ganization of  society ;  to  its  order  and  protection  ; 
to  the  nethermost  foundations  of  civil  government. 
If  a  thief  may  be  justly  slain  with  the  sword  by 
the  ministers  of  law,  why  not  a  gang  of  them"?  if 
a  bandit,  why  not  a  banditti  1  and  if  a  foraging 
party  of  freebooters,  why  not  an  iniquitous  or  an 
invading  nation  Friends  say,  '  Apprehend  them, 
treat  them  kindly,  and  confine  them  for  life;  but 
not  take  life,  for  this  is  what  we  cannot  give.'  What 
folly  !  How  are  we  to  apprehend  them,  when  ice 
may  not  use  the  sword,  or  any  hostile  force,  or 
"  resist  evil  in  any  case :"  while  they  use  sword, 
pistol,  musket,  and  cannon  \  Admirable !  "  He 
beareth  not  the  sword  in  vain  ;"  saith  "  the  outward 
testimony  of  scripture  !"  and  here  this  inward-light 
testimony  expounds  the  way  of  it!  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  travel  very  far  south  to  find  nullification. 
Their  views  are  treason  against  common  sense, 
against  their  own  safety  and  fire-side  enjoyments, 
and  against  the  commonwealth,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  sanctions  of  Christianity  !  I  should  think  the 
proper  means  of  apprehending  them,  would  be  to 
coax  them  to  become  Friends.  By  this  means,  it 
is  hoped,  the  prophecies  are  all  to  be  fulfilled,  in 
turning  "  swords  into  ploughshares  and  spears  into 
pruning  hooks ;"  so  that  the  nations,  becoming 
quite  friendly,  are  to  "  learn  war  no  more !"  So 
we  go,  swimmingly  along,  down  the  stream  of 
prosperity,  to  halcyon  moorings  and  a  certain  port  I 
We  are  all  to  become  Friends,  it  seems. 


237 


3.  Friends  often  speak  of  the  present  dispensa- 
tion, as  if  the  priiiciples  involved  were  not  of  moral 
and  perpetual  obligation,  or  of  unalterable  eternal 
sameness.  "  It  is  not  lawful  for  christians .^^  If  it 
was  ever  right  to  take  life  or  to  wage  war,  it  may 
be  right  again.  The  principles  concerned  are  all 
anchored  in  the  nature  of  things,  which  results  from 
the  nature  of  God,  and  is  therefore  unchangeable. 
If  revenge  is  wrong  (as  it  certainly  is)  in  the  nature 
of  things,  then  it  was  never  right,  and  never  will 
be,  irrespective  of  dispensations. 

4.  They  often  forget  that  the  sin  of  taking  life 
consists  wholly  in  that,  which  is  more  abundantly 
sin  where  life  is  not  taken — in  malevolence  or  per- 
sonal hatred  and  ill-feeling.  "  Whosoever  hateth 
HIS  BROTHER,  is  a  murderer  :  and  ye  know  that  no 
murderer  hath  eternal  life  abiding  in  him."  From 
which  I  infer  (1)  that  there  are  thousands  of  "mur- 
derers "  that  no  human  law  can  implead,  and  mil- 
lions that  appear  as  respectable  as  Friends.  (2) 
That  murder  is  properly  distinct,  and  separate  too, 
from  taking  life  ;  so  that  it  exists,  in  the  immense 
MAJORITY  OF  CASES,  whorc  life  is  not  taken ;  and 
consequently  may  not  exist  where  life  is  taken. 

5.  The  argument  is  vain,  which,  premising  that 
God  alone  is  the  author  and  arbiter  of  life,  as  he  is 
alone  its  great  proprietor  too,  declares  inferentially 
that  therefore  the  thesis  of  Friends  is  true  :  for, 
obviously,  if  God  is  so  the  owner  of  all  life,  he  may 
take  it  in  any  way  he  pleases ;  mediately  or  by  the 
agency  of  others,  as  well  as  immediately  by  his  own 
agency.    Hence,  men  hold  the  life  of  all  the  irra- 


238 

tionals  in  possession;  for  God  hath  given  us  the 
responsible  usufruct  or  quasi  ^°  allodium,  in  the 
magna  charta  of  his  empire  :  for  use,  not  abuse, 
indeed  ;  and  to  the  end  of  time.  Gen.  9  :  1-7. 
1  Tim.  3  :  5.  show  our  title. 

On  Noah,  and  in  him  on  all  mankind, 

The  charter  was  conferred,  by  which  we  hold 

The  flesh  of  animals  in  fee,  and  claim 

O'er  all  we  feed  on,  power  of  life  and  death. 

But  read  the  instrument  and  mark  it  well : 

Th'  oppression  of  a  tyrannous  control 

Can  find  no  warrant  there.    Feed  then,  and  yield 

Thanks  for  thy  food.    Carnivorous  through  sin, 

Feed  on  the  slain,  but  spare  the  living  brute  ! — Cowper. 

Brutes  can  feel.  They  suffer  and  enjoy  ;  and  are 
proper  objects  of  benevolence,  human  and  divine. 
"  A  righteous  man  regardeth  the  life  of  his  beast ; 
but  the  tender  mercies  of  the  vi^icked  are  cruel." 
Prov.  12  :  10.  But  does  it  necessarily  infer  cruelty, 
in  the  man  that  takes  their  life,  under  this  charter  \ 
May  not  a  man,  with  tender  christian  feelings,  im- 
molate them  for  food  \  If  he  is  cruel,  is  cruelty  ne- 
cessary to  the  actl  and  is  not  cruelty  to  brutes,  of 
the  very  same  quality,  though  the  form  and  the  de- 
gree may  differ,  with  cruelty  or  malevolence  in 
higher  relations  1  A  feeling  of  cruelty  in  any  as- 
pect, is  like  a  feeling  of  cruelty  in  all  other  aspects  ; 
it  is  homogeneous,  it  is  bad,  it  is  contrary  to  the 
law  of  God.  But  if  merely  to  take  life  does  not 
necessarily  make  a  murderer,  or  a  fiend,  or  no 
christian,  of  a  farmer,  or  a  butcher,  or  a  fisherman, 
we  may  here  see  in  its  lower  relations  the  certain 


239 


difference  between  taking  life — as  one  thing,  and 
malevolence — which  is  another.  Whence, 

6.  God  has  frequently  and  in  recorded  instances 
authorized  the  former,  but  never,  never  the  other. 
God  NEVER  DID,  and  morally  he  never  could,  (it  is 
not  improper  to  say  that  "  he  cannot  deny  himself,") 

AUTHORIZE    ONE    MAN    TO    HATE    ANOTHER  !  He 

authorized  Israel  under  Moses  and  Joshua,  and 
subsequently  under  many  other  leaders,  to  exter- 
minate the  wicked  Canaanites  and  others :  but  did 
he  authorize  malevolence  to  their  persons'?  or  ne- 
cessitate it,  by  the  order  or  the  service  \  not  at  all. 
Take  a  case  ;  1  Sam.  15  :  3,  22,  23,  32,  33,  "  Then 
said  Samuel,  Bring  ye  hither  to  me  Agag,  the  king 
of  the  Amalekites.  And  Agag  came  unto  hini 
delicately.  And  Agag  said,  Surely  the  bitterness 
of  death  is  past.  And  Samuel  said,  As  thy  sword 
hath  made  women  childless,  so  shall  thy  mother  be 
childless  among  women.  And  Samuel  hewed 
Agag  in  pieces  before  the  Lord  in  Gilgal.".^ 
Would  not  Barclay  have  denounced  him,  had  he 
been  there "?  would  he  not  have  rebuked,  among 
''absurd  and  impossible  things,"  an  attempt  to  show 
the  utter  consistency  of  the  act  of  the  prophet,  with 
"  the  mind  of  Christ  V  or,  because  it  occurred  under 
a  former  dispensation,  are  we  to  neglect  the  ever- 
lasting principles  on  which  it  is  founded  \  or,  be- 
cause Saul  spared  Agag,  are  we  to  panegyrize  his 
"tender  mercies,"  to  the  dishonor  of  the  holy  man 
of  God,  who,  with  his  own  hand,  sacrificed  him 
"  before  the  Lord  in  Gilgal  V  Did  Samuel  hate 
Agag,  or  was  the  act  on  his  part  malevolent  1  We 


240 


might  almost  as  wisely  ask,  was  God  malevolent  in 
issuing  the  order  which  Samuel  simply  executed '! 
or,  was  it  not  "murder"  in  Samuel  to  obey  the 
authority  of  Jehovah  1  or,  was  not  Saul  the  better 
man  of  the  two,  at  least  the  calmer  in  the  case,  and 
the  more  like — a  Friend  1  How  many  frothy  de- 
claimers  might  have  appealed  to  the  million,  the 
majority,  very  plausibly  against  him  ;  and  settled 
by  acclamation  the  point  "  that  it  is  not  lawful  for 
christians  to  resist  evil,  or  to  war  or  fight  in  any 
case !"  Just  as  now,  the  superficial  multitude  be- 
lieve according  to  their  selfishness,  their  education, 
or  their  caprice  ;  and  even  the  plurality  of  "  the 
great  vulgar"  yield  to  the  same  control,  undis- 
ciplined by  evidence  !  Hence 

7.  It  comes  to  pass  observably  that  many  oppo- 
vsers  of  the  plainly  revealed  doctrine  of  eternal 
punishment,  (as  universalists,  unitarians,  infidels, 
pseudo-philanthropists  of  every  description,)  grow 
very  specially  tender  in  their  clemency  on  the  topics 
of  capital  punishment,  war,  the  importance  of  the 
"peace  society,"  and  the  superlative  excellence  of 
the  ethics  or  creed  of  passive  endurance  !  I  do  not 
say  that  the  "  peace  society "  may  not  be  in  the 
main  a  good  and  valuable  thing  ;  or  that  some  very 
sound  and  worthy  allies  are  not  to  be  found  with 
it ;  or  that  it  will  not  become  (as  I  sincerely  pray 
that  it  may)  increasingly  useful,  wise,  and  power- 
ful, in  the  pacification  of  society.  I  only  say  that 
there  is  an  aflfinity  or  element  congenial,  between 
punishment  in  time  and  punishment  in  eternity  ; 
punishment  of  law,  human  and  divine  ;  punishment 


241 


by  the  magistracy,  of  this  world  and  that  which  is 
to  come  :  and  that,  as  the  principles  are  much  the 
same  in  both  cases,  it  is  as  easy,  and  almost  as 
perilous,  to  reason  wrong  on  either  as  the  other. 
Hence  some  and  even  many  maddened  apostates 
or  virulent  infidels,  who  are  not  altogether  dispas- 
sionate or  disinterested  inquirers,  are  found  to 
oppose  those  wholesome  principles  of  society,  with- 
out which  its  civil  or  domestic  existence  would 
become  impossible — as  sure  and  full  experience 
shows.  They  endeavor  to  prove  the  wickedness 
of  the  executive  act;  of  the  judiciary  that  sanctions 
it;  of  the  legislation  that  ordains  it!  as  if  wickedness 
were  necessary  to  it ;  as  if  Washington  did  not 
sign  the  death-warrant  of  Andre  with  emotion  and 
with  tears  ;  as  if  benevolence  itself  would  not  sac- 
rifice a  man  who  makes  himself  a  nuisance  against 
the  life  of  others ;  as  if  Quakerism  ought  not  to  be 
put  down,  if  it  is  false  ;  as  if  justice  were  hostile 
to  mercy ;  as  if  one  ought  to  have  mercy  less  on 
the  commonwealth,  than  on  him  who  would  burn  it 
to  ashes  for  the  sake  of  pilfering  among  the  ruins, 
the  relics  of  its  treasure  ;  as  if  there  was  but  one 
way  of  cheapening  human  life  ;  as  if  God  could 
not  punish,  without  spite  ;  as  if  his  punitive  justice 
were  any  other  than  a  modification  of  his  infinite 
benevolence  ;  as  if  benevolence  itself  were  not  the 
inspiration  of  his  way,  when  he  "punishes  the 
wicked  with  everlasting  destruction,  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power  !" 
By  such  reasoners,  it  is  often  alleged  that  capital 
punishment  is  useless,  since  it  does  not  prevent 


242 


crime  notoriously.  I  reply  (1)  This  might  prove 
possibly  its  inexpediency,  but  never  its  unlawfulness. 
(2)  It  is  absurd  to  say  it  prevents  none,  because  all 
is  not  prevented.  And  it  is  manifestly  false.  The 
fear  of  capital  punishment  prevents  millions  of 
murders — that  would  otherwise  be  perpetrated  !  It 
prevents,  and  controls,  and  intimidates,  to  a  degree 
incalculably  great.  What  but  moral  restraint  ordi- 
narily coerces  the  mutual  hatred  of  men'?  and  what 
moral  restraint  exists,  beside  the  sword  of  armed 
authority,  sufficiently  gross  and  palpable  to  check 
their  fury  who  fear  no  retribution  from  the  throne 
of  God  I  (3)  All  their  reasoning  is  sufficiently 
refuted  from  the  ordinance  of  God,  establishing 
capital  punishment,  by  his  own  authority  in  this 
world,  and  by  more  than  this — his  own  awful  agency 
in  the  next. 

8.  The  right  to  take  life,  and  consequently  to 
redress  wrongs  equitably  in  any  other  way,  has 
been  solemnly  and  fully  delegated  in  the  word  of 
God  to  the  magistracy  of  this  world;  which  is 
hence  his  own  ordinance,  obligatory  alike  on  the 
actions  and  the  consciences  of  his  creatures  uni- 
versally. This  could  be  proved  from  innumerable 
places  of  the  New  Testament ;  from  the  crucifixion- 
scene  of  three  sufferers,  and  the  history  of  the  abuses 
of  power  attending  it ;  and  from  one  or  two  select- 
ed passages  soon  to  be  considered.  It  is  even  im- 
plied in  the  "  fourteenth  thesis  "  of  Barclay ;  where, 
in  reference  to  the  power  of  the  magistrate,  though 
he  says  nothing  of  divine  authority  with  him,  he 
avers  that  "  the  law  is  for  the  transgressor,  and 


243 


justice  to  be  administered  upon  all,  without  respect 
of  persons."  And  how  could  this  be,  if  armed  au- 
thority in  the  state,  with  the  power  of  life  and  death 
in  its  possession,  were  morally  wrong,  contrary  to 
the  will  of  God,  a  system  only  of  legalized  and  im- 
pious murder  1  Without  the  power  of  life  and  death, 
government  is  a  nullity  and  law  contemptible ;  the 
foundations  of  society  are  everted,  and  the  hopes 
of  the  sublunary  universe  expire !  Yet,  what  Friend 
could  wear  a  sword  or  wield  one  1  He  who  thinks 
all  war  and  resistance  of  evil,  necessarily  a  diabo- 
lical crime,  and  "  unlawful  for  christians  ?"  or,  he 
who  thinks  war  in  some  cases  just'?  But  such 
an  one  is  no  Friend.  He  has  lost  cast,  and  gone 
away  from  the  luminary  within.  I  refer  here 
mainly  to  Rom.  13  :  1-7,  or  the  whole  chapter ; 
where  we  are  plainly  taught  the  following  things : 
(1)  That  civil  government,  as  such,  is  a  divine  in- 
stitution ;  "  the  authorities  that  be  are  ordained  of 
God,"  as  a  regency  of  his  own.  (2)  That  their 
power  includes  the  prerogative  of  life  and  death, 
according  to  equity.  (3)  That  they  are  hence  au- 
thorized to  make  war,  on  certain  occasions  and 
responsibly  to  the  Supreme  Commander,  against 
malefactors  of  all  sorts ;  one  of  them,  and  any 
one,  and  millions  of  them,  other  things  being  equal. 
(4)  That  they  are  charged  with  the  repose  and 
order  of  society,  against  all  insurgents  that  would 
disturb  it ;  for  the  magistrate  "  is  the  minister  of 
God  to  thee  for  good.  But  if  thou  do  that  which 
is  evil,  be  afraid ;  for  he  beareth  not  the  sword  in 
vain :  for  he  is  the  minister  of  God,  a  revenger  to 


244 


execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doeth  evil."  Hence 
(5)  That  it  is  the  duty  inahenably,  and  ought  to 
be  a  part  of  the  reUgion,  of  all  men,  to  honor  and 
obey  the  magistracy,  in  the  due  and  lawful  exercise 
of  their  power.  "  Wherefore  ye  must  needs  be 
subject,  not  only  for  wrath,"  (or  fear  of  them,)  "  but 
also  C^^TOR  conscience'  sake."  (6)  We  see  the 
treason  against  God  of  one  of  the  principles  of 
Friends — that  on  which  they  refuse  incorrigibly, 
either  to  bear  arms  in  any  case,  or  to  pay  the 
fines  very  properly  levied  against  delinquents  or 
exempts.  They  plead  conscience!  What  right 
have  they,  I  ask,  to  keep  such  a  conscience  ]  Is 
it  conscience  "  resisting  the  ordinance  of  God  1" 
And  what  respect  deserves  it  from  manl  I  an- 
swer, just  as  much  as  it  gets  from  God.  It  is 
nothing  better  than  a  piece  of  will-worship,  ac- 
cording to  the  inspiration  of  a  man's  deluded  feel- 
ings, ignorant  or  cowardly  or  perverse  or  indolent 
or  perhaps  compounded  of  all  these,  leading  him 
religiously  to  have  his  own  way  at  all  events.  Hear 
the  word  of  God  ;  "  For,  for  this  cause  pay  ye  tri- 
bute ALSO  :  for  they  are  God's  ministers,  attending 
continually  upon  this  very  thing.  Render  there- 
fore to  all  their  dues  :  tribute  to  whom  tribute 
IS  due  ;  custom  to  whom  custom  ;  fear  to  whom 
FEAR ;  HONOR  TO  WHOM  HONo  1."  It  was  the  mili- 
tary government  of  the  CAESARS  to  which  was 
the  direct  reference  of  the  apostle  at  the  time.  But 
Friends  say,  we  cannot  pay  militia  fines  ;  nor  do 
any  thing  to  uphold  the  military  power.  Ah  ! 
truly  : — and  why  do  you  ever  become  adjuncts  and 


245 


allies  and  officers  of  such  a  civic  dynasty  1  or  vote 
for  the  ministers  of  such  a  power  1  What  are  you 
doing  at  the  polls,  but  upholding  that  very  power  I 
What  moral  right  have  you  there  1  to  vote  or  be  vo- 
ted for  ^  And  yet  all  of  you  (generally^')  exercise  the 
right  of  suffrage.  And  you  virtually  appeal  to  the 
SWORD,  WHENEVER  you  suo  a  man,  and  invoke  the 
armed  interference  of  the  law  to  coerce  him  to  his 
duty!  Have  I  no  right  here  to  suggest  that  casuis- 
try is  sometimes  marvellously  convinced,  not  by 
evidence  but  by  influence ;  not  by  the  Bible,  but 
the — purse  !  If  the  government  charged  a  pecu- 
niary bonus  or  capitation  tax  for  the  privilege  of 
voting,  I  presume  there  would  be  heard  some  new 
conscientious  groaning  against  the  military  power — 
even  by  Friends  !  But  it  gives  them  influence  in  a 
cheap  way ;  and  hence  they  forget  the  dreadful 
horror  they  sometimes  feel  in  doing  any  thing  to 
uphold  a  military  government.  Without  such  a 
government,  there  is  not  a  right,  nor  a  possession, 
nor  an  endearment,  they  could  call  their  own,  one 
single  day  or  night !  And  yet — others  must  do  the 
fighting  or  pay  for  the  war :  they  only  enjoy  the 
privileges  ;  which  blood  and  treasure  other  than 
their  own,  procured  for  them  and  still  preserves. 
In  the  defence  of  the  commonwealth,  they  refuse 
all  responsibility;  and  just  so — by  proxy — do  they 
support  and  diffuse  Christianity  in  the  world  !  trans- 
late the  scriptures,  defend  them,  and  so  forth  I 
The  Father  of  his  Country,  in  answer  to  an  ad- 
dress of  the  society,  congratulating  him  in  their 
way  on  his  accession  to  the  presidency  of  the  Union, 


246 


gives  a  marked  and  just  reproof  of  their  unequal 
principles,  "receiving  benefits  and  rendering  none," 
to  the  power  of  the  State.  His  words  are  very 
kind,  dignified,  and  worthy  of  himself ;  commend- 
ing their  principles  in  reference  to  order  and  peace, 
"  except  their  declining  to  share  with  other's  the  bur- 
thens of  the  common  defence."  He  also  very  exem- 
plarily  assures  them  that  "  it  is  his  wish  and  desire 
that  the  laws  may  always  be  as  extensively  accom- 
modated to  the  conscientious  scruples  of  all  men, 
as  a  due  regard  to  the  protection  and  essential  in- 
terests of  the  nation  may  justify  and  permit."  Thus 
nobly  wrote  Washington  in  1789.  He  had  wit- 
nessed during  the  revolution  some  of  their  twistical 
proceedings ;  and  taken  several  of  their  luminaries 
into  his  own  custody,  lest  their  "scruples"  might 
incline  rather  too  far  toward  royalty  and  England. 
In  the  last  war  (1812)  some  became  sudden  con- 
verts to  Quakerism  ;  growing  quite  conscientious 
in  the  time  of  danger  against  such  profane  expo- 
sures of  life — and  either  joined  the  Society,  or 
pleaded  a  kindred  exemption  from  military  respon- 
sibilities. In  the  revolution,  a  number  of  courage- 
ous and  patriotic  men  of  the  society,  took  the  field; 
who  were  called,  on  their  return,  "  Free  Quakers," 
being  disowned  by  Friends.  What  a  pity  that  their 
own  good  sense  on  some  other  subjects,  can  not  be 
brought  on  this  to  act  with  equal  light  and  love  of 
evidence  !  "  Render  therefore  unto  Ceesar,  the  things 
which  are  Csesar's ;  and  unto  God,  the  things  that 
are  God's."  Mat.  22  :  21.  (t^l  Pet.  2  :  13-17.  We 
suppose  it  taught  also  (7)  That  the  principles  of 


247 


the  magistracy,  as  divinely  sanctioned,  are  to  be 
held  virtually  to  extend  to  all  communities  less  than 
that  of  the  State  ;  as  a  school,  a  family,  a  ship's 
crew,  a  caravan,  an  army,  or  a  company  socially 
organized  in  any  way.  The  means  must  be  ade- 
quate to  the  ends  of  government.  There  must  be 
order,  law,  authority,  headship,  concentration ;  and 
equally  there  must  be  subordination,  self-denial, 
harmony,  and  obedience.  There  ought  also  to  be, 
as  always  there  might,  mutual  benevolence  and 
wisdom.  Hence  the  father  or  head  of  a  family  is 
a  domestic  magistrate.  He  is  legislature,  judiciary, 
and  police.  He  presides  over  the  commonwealth 
of  home.  He  must  be  able  sometimes  to  coerce 
obedience  ;  sometimes  to  repel  invasion  ;  sometimes 
to  protect  his  charge  by  an  appeal  to  the  ultima 
ratio^" — when  there  is  no  time  to  wait  for  the  re- 
gum*^  of  ordinary  safety  or  the  legum^*  of  adequate 
redress.  Nor  is  there  any  need  of  anger  or  mahce 
in  the  administration  ;  so  that  where  such  passions 
find  sway,  it  is  the  man  himself,  and  not  the  system 
or  sphere  of  his  duties,  that  is  culpable.  Malice 
is  incidental,  adventitious,  corruptive  ;  and  of  con- 
sequence infers  nothing  against  the  established 
equity  and  wisdom  of  the  divine  constitution. 

Hence  (8)  that  abuses  in  the  administration  of 
civil  or  political  government  do  not  affect  the  prin- 
ciple for  which  we  contend.  Those  abuses,  as 
such,  the  worse  for  what  they  impiously  mar,  may 
be  wisely  shown,  justly  resisted,  and  equitably  re- 
dressed. In  such  a  world  as  this,  all  history  pro- 
claims their  horrible  abundance.    But  on  the  pas- 


248 


sive  endurance  scheme,  passive  endurance  is  all ! 
When  would  this  principle  have  achieved  the  liber- 
ties of  America  ?  The  system  of  magistracy  re- 
acts on  its  incumbents.  It  tells  them  to  be  "just, 
ruling  in  the  fear  of  God :"  or,  his  providence  may 
let  loose  upon  them  a  revolutionary  tornado  that 
shall  hurl  them  from  their  seats,  or  conduct  a  regu- 
lar impeachment  which  shall  instate  their  succes- 
sors. Such  a  lex  talionis  or  in  terrorem  influence, 
exists  in  this  country  in  the  civic  majesty  of  the 
ballot-boxes.  Thus  society  is  tempered,  balanced, 
and  founded,  in  obvious  principles  of  reciprocal  de- 
pendence and  responsibility  ;  and  the  fierce  pas- 
sions of  the  worst,  for  whom  especially  the  crimi- 
nal code  is  enacted,  1  Tim.  1:8,  9,  are  held  in 
check  serene  ;  like  the  rumbling  central  fires  of  an 
unbroached  volcano,  with  the  turbulence  of  its  im- 
prisoned lava  surging,  beneath  the  adamantine 
crust  on  which  a  city  stands  stately  and  secure  ! 

9.  The  texts  which  Friends  quote  so  confidently 
in  favor  of  their  views,  show  only  in  their  hands  * 
what  an  interpreter  the  inward  light  is  !  C?'  Matt. 
5  :  38-48.  Must  these  orders  be  all  literalized ;  or, 
interpreted  in  their  spirit  according  to  the  analogy 
of  faith  I  In  the  latter  way,  they  appear  in  beau- 
tiful symmetry  and  keeping  ;  as  absolutely  forbid- 
ding all  malevolence,  anger,  revenge,  and  every 
modification  of  these  diabolical  passions  !  But  do 
they  forbid  Paul  to  stand  on  his  rights  as  a  Roman 
citizen,  at  Philippic  Acts,  16:  35-39.  22  :  25-30, 
or  to  use  legal  measures,  backed  with  a  military 
cohort,  for  his  redress  1  23-28.    Besides,  Friends 


249 


require  us  to  literalize  those  orders ;  and  yet  they 
practically  do  it  not  themselves !  Let  us  see.  "  And 
if  any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away 
thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak  alsoT'  Is  this  the 
way  of  Friends,  Orthodox  or  Hicksites  ]  Witness 
their  mutual  litigations  for  "  the  uttermost  farthing  " 
in  dispute  between  them !  Witness  their  prac- 
tice when  one  of  "  the  world's  people "  would 
wrong  them  out  of  their  own,  or  "take  away 
their  coat !"  The  style  of  the  passage  is  plainly 
proverbial  and  figurative  ;  and  it  is  for  those  only 
to  be  privileged  to  literalize  its  meaning,  whose 
practice  discredits  the  interpretation  they  maintain, 
and  whose  ordinary  spiritualizing  of  passages 
plainly  literal  has  become  itself  a  proverb !  But 
"  How  can  thee  love  a  man  and  yet  strike  or  slay 
him  with  thy  hand  T'^^  Answer — As  well  as  Samuel 
could  "  hew  Agag  in  pieces  before  the  Lord  in 
Gilgal !"  How  can  Friends  think  it  not  murder,  to 
carry  passive  endurance  to  its  extravagance  in  any 
case  "  outwardly,"  while  probably  real  malice  lives 
and  practises  within  them^  Matt.  23 :  24-28.^ 
Mark,  7 :  14-23.  There  must  be  a  deeper  and 
more  thorough  cleansing  of  their  characters  than 
the  hue  of  Quakerism  can  impart,  in  order  to  their 
knowing  or  showing  true  wisdom !  Their  reli- 
gion, just  here,  is  so  external  alone,  so  formal  and 
ceremonial,  so  hollow  and  heartless,  that  appear- 
ances, not  realities,  carry  it  in  the  favorable  estima- 
tion of  the  populace.  What  I  allege  is — that  their 
views  are  puerile,  impracticable,  false ;  and  that 
Christianity  is  not  responsible  for  them.    And  if 

32 


250 


those  views  ever  allow  them  (as  I  have  reason  to 
think  the  remark  not  uncalled  for)  to  enter  the  tem- 
ple and  the  jury-box  of  their  country's  justice,  when 
a  manslayer  is  to  be  tried  for  his  hfe,  and  refuse  to 
convict  him — because  their  views  condemn  all  capi- 
tal punishment ;  and  so  influence  or  fatigue  their 
juror  peers  into  a  verdict  of  acquittal ;  and  this  al- 
though the  evidence  may  be  conclusive  and  they 
(virtually)  sworn  to  render  accordingly  :  I  feel  it  to 
be  my  duty  to  write  it  tty  as  no  better  than  a  clear 
example  of  anti-christianity,  fraud,  perjury,  and  co- 
vert treason  against  the  commonwealth !  Deut. 
25:  1.  A  christian  could  weep  with  tenderness, 
glow  with  benevolence,  and  hesitate  with  interjec- 
ted prayer  for  his  salvation  ;  and  yet  inflexibly — 
utter  the  verdict  of  truth  and  righteousness  !  Such 
is  the  conduct  of  principle. 

10.  Friends  often  adduce  Matt.  26  :  52,  (see 
also  Rev.  13  :  10;  and  16  :  6,)  where  the  Savior 
said  to  Peter,  "Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  its 
place ;  for  all  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish 
with  the  sword."  Their  views  here  are  very  ob- 
jectionable: 1.  As  they  interpret  it,  it  proves  that 
no  good  man  or  christian  can  use  the  sword  at  all. 
It  thus  disposes  of  Washington,  Colonel  Gardiner, 
Cornelius  the  centurion  of  the  Italian  band,  old 
Samuel,  and  millions  of  others  not  to  be  numbered. 
But  2.  Does  it  say  any  such  thing? — "  shall  perish 
with  the  sword he  shall  die  by  a  violence  like  that 
which  he  exerts.  Is  this  necessarily — perdition 
everlasting  '?  Such  navigators  ought  to  look  ahead 
a  little,  and  they  could  see  the  rock  against  which 


251 


they  are  dashing  themselves.  A  Friend  once 
argued  with  me  as  follows :  "  It  can't  mean  tem- 
poral punishment,  for  they  very  often  escape.  It 
must  mean  therefore  that  which  is  eternal ;  for  the 
words  are  express — *  shall  perish  ;'  that  is,  *  with  the 
sword '  hereafter."  This  is  a  summary  way  of 
setthng  the  matter,  truly.  But  we  may  well  pause 
before  we  sanction  such  enormous  error.  For 
3.  It  proves  too  much  quite — it  nullifies  the  thir- 
teenth of  Romans ;  where  the  clear  explains  or  at 
least  coerces  the  doubtful.  Many  a  man  "  beareth 
the  sword "  by  the  authority  of  God,  as  his  civic 
"  minister."  Inference — their  inspiration  is  at  fault 
again :  it  dogmatizes  what  is  false,  as  it  is  wont  to 
do.  4.  A  credible  interpretation  does  more  honor 
to  the  passage  :  Peter  was  ardent  to  fight  for  the 
kingdom  of  his  master,  and  thus  to  carry  the  for- 
tunes and  the  cause  of  Messiah.  But  this  was  not 
the  way  to  propagate  his  religion.  He  that  resorted 
to  such  means  would  fail  of  the  end  and  destroy 
himself.  That  spiritual  tyrant  who  affects  to  sit  in 
Peter's  chair  (in  which  Peter  himself  never  sat) 
and  resembles  him  only  in  his  errors,  unites  in  kis 
own  regime  the  power  of  the  sword  with  that  of 
the  keys — and  how  much  of  the  religion  of  Christ 
does  he  propagate  \  Generally,  the  passage  is  an 
interdict  against  all  such  military  measures  and 
sanguinary  means  of  grace :  while  it  had  a  special 
applicability  to  the  duty  of  that  unparalleled  crisis, 
to  suffer  rather  than  resist.  If  resistance  had  been 
wise,  he  would  have  employed  it.  "  Twelve  legions 
of  angels  "  had  "  presently  "  appeared  for  his  res- 


252 


cue,  asking  no  human  sword  to  add  its  imbecility 
to  their  arms.  "  But  how  then  shall  the  scriptures 
be  fulfilled  that  thus  it  must  be  1"  54.  .Tohn,  18  : 36. 

Friends  are  often  asked,  what  would  be  your 
course  of  duty  as  the  head  of  a  family,  if  a  despe- 
rado in  quest  of  "  beauty  and  booty"  were  to  break 
into  your  house  at  midnight?  They  answer,  (1) 
This  is  an  extreme  case,  and  it  is  not  fair  to  try 
principles  in  that  way.  I  reply,  why  1  because  a 
principle  is  not  to  be  judged  by  looking  at  its  na- 
tive tendency,  its  proper  fruits,  its  practical  relation 
and  utility]  Must  we  then  go  to  the  sky  of  Utopia 
for  all  our  ethical  light  l  But  it  is  not  an  extreme 
case  :  far  from  it !  It  occurs  virtually  every  day  in 
the  year  ;  our  newspapers  groan  with  the  records 
of  violence,  and  society  is  bleeding  in  every  mem- 
ber Take  a  fact — A  lady  at  the  South  was  once 
left,  in  the  absence  of  her  husband,  alone  in  the 
house,  or  with  no  other  protection  than  sleeping 
infancy  in  her  chamber,  and  a  few  slaves  in  other 
apartments.  Just  as  she  was  about  to  retire,  she 
was  alarmed  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  an  ath- 
letic negro  of  the  neighborhood,  who  plainly  an- 
nounced a  purpose  more  terrible  than  death  to  the 
thoughts  of  conjugal  virtue.  What  should  she  do? 
With  calm  self-possession  she  concealed  the  agita- 
tion of  her  feelings — requested  him  to  wash  his 
feet  in  water  that  she  would  procure  for  him — and 
watching  her  moment  while  he  was  so  engaged, 
having  seized  an  axe  that  she  had  prudently  con- 
cealed, she  despatched  him  with  one  well  directed 
blow  on  his  head  !  Suppose  her  husband  had  been 


253 


a  Friend — could  he  have  blamed  her  at  his  return  1 
Would  any  jury  of  men  or  women  condemn  her  \ 
She  deserves  to  rank  with  Judith  who  decapitated 
Holofernes,  and  "  Jael  the  wife  of  Heber  the  Ken- 
ite  "  who  "  shall  be  blessed  "  for  the  nail  she  drove 
through  the  temples  of  Sisera !  Judges,  4  :  5. 
Hence  when  Friends  say,  (2)  that  if  we  are  faith- 
ful we  shall  never  be  brought  into  such  extremities, 
they  utter  what  is  foolishness  itself.  Was  not 
Isaiah  faithful,  whom  Manasseh  "  sawed  asunder!" 
or  Paul  who  was  beheaded  under  Nero Let  the 
blood  of  the  martyrs  answer. 

That  war  is  ordinarily  iniquitous  and  wrong  on 
both  sides,  and  that  terrible  abuses  of  the  power 
of  the  sword  have  always  prevailed  in  our  world, 
though  WITH  SPECIAL  CRIMINALITY  in  an  age  so 
favored  with  the  means  of  knowledge  and  right- 
eousness as  this,  must  be  at  once  admitted  and 
maintained.  Wars  of  conquest,  ambition,  martial 
glory,  or  posthumous  fame,  are  utterly  unauthorized 
and  wrong  ;  are  "  earthly,  sensual,  devilish  ;"  are 
worthy  of  the  combined  abhorrence  of  earth  and 
heaven.  If  our  peace  societies  would  all  be  defi- 
nite AND  SOUND  in  principle,  aiming  at  things  pro- 
per and  practicable,  and  at  these  alone,  I,  for  one, 
have  no  doubt  not  only  of  their  high  utility,  but  of 
their  rapid  prosperity  and  ultimate  success.  Let 
them  honor  the  principles  of  magistracy  as  laid 
down  in  the  New  Testament ;  maintain  the  recti- 
tude of  wdiX  when  strictly  defensive,  when  abso- 
lutely necessary  in  the  last  resort,  when  so  prose- 
cuted that  the  guidance  of  the  Lord  of  hosts 


254 


can  be  devoutly  invoked  on  its  movements ;  let 
them  make  no  canopy  or  cover  for  law-hating  in- 
fidels and  universalists ;  let  them  recognise  and 
honor  the  doctrine  of  penalty  and  the  armed  puis- 
sance of  the  state  ;  let  them  shovi^  rights  and  duties 
reciprocally  and  wisely ;  let  none  of  them  misrepre- 
sent the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  if  it  contained 
"  the  old  wives'  fable  "  of  passive  endurance,  or 
as  if  a  man  could  not  have  prowess  or  "  show  him- 
self a  man  "  or  act  valiantly  pro  aris  et  focis 
without  malevolence :  let  them  so  act  and  so  pro- 
ceed, and  they  will  take  hold  of  the  public  mind ; 
they  will  arrest  the  attention  of  cabinets  and  states- 
men ;  they  will  disarm  a  mighty  prejudice  and 
attach  devoted  millions  to  their  cause ;  heaven  will 
bless  their  labors  of  philanthropy ;  the  nations  of 
the  earth  may  hear  their  voice,  feel  their  arguments, 
and  echo  their  wishes,  in  the  universal  pacification 
of  the  globe  and  through  the  *'  blessed  and  holy  " 
ages  of  the  millennium. 

11.  While  I  fully  believe  all  that  I  have  written  on 
this  momentous  subject,  I  feel  bound  to  add — that 
it  is  no  part  of  the  argument  or  the  motive  to  autho- 
rize wars,  feuds,  and  bloody  rencounters,  such  as 
actually  occur  in  almost  every  page  of  universal 
history  !  There  is  no  need  of  war  comparatively, 
on  the  earth  ;  either  individually  or  generally.  The 
real  necessity  for  war  is  very  different  from  the  as- 
sumed necessity.  There  is  no  need  of  it  abso- 
lutely— except  what  wicked  passions  mainly  foment 
and  make.  For  abuses  of  principle  or  practice,  I 
am  no  apologist.    Diplomacy,  equitable,  calm, 


255 


PACIFIC,  OUGHT  TO  SETTLE  ALL  INTERNATIONAL  DIF- 
FERENCES :  justly  dreading  an  appeal  to  the  sword, 
as  a  most  terrible  calamity.  To  exemplify  this  wis- 
dom, is  transcendently  the  duty  especially  of  chris- 
tian nations.  My  very  soul  deprecates  war !  It  is 
indeed  a  mighty  and  a  monstrous  evil — "  a  game, 
which,  were  their  subjects  wise,  kings  would  not 
play  at."  Ruin  to  finances  is  nothing  compared 
with  ruin  to  morals.  It  depraves  a  nation  !  Pri- 
vate differences  too  might  easily  be  settled  in  every 
case,  but  for  bad  passions!  And  for  all  these 
maladies,  can  nothing  be  done  l  There  is  apa- 
nacea,  which  I  would  here  record  as  infallible : 
it  is  a  compound  in  due  proportions  of  James  4 : 
1-17.  Matt.  18:  15-18,  and  2  Cor.  5 :  10-21. 
Whence,  I  observe, 

12.  The  pacification  of  society  and  the  regenera- 
tion of  the  world,  is  to  be  realized  ONLY  through 

THE  PREVALENCE  OF  CHRISTIANITY  ;  ONLY  BY  THE 
ASCENDENCY     OF     CHRISTIAN      SENTIMENT  AMONG 

THE  NATIONS !  I  bclieve  that  such  a  period  will 
arrive  :  for  it  is  certainly  and  credibly  predicted  : 
but  I  believe  as  much  in  the  only  appointed  means, 
as  I  do  in  the  desired  end  of  the  glorious  consum- 
mation !  It  will  occur  not  by  rendering  magistracy 
weaponless  and  imbecile ;  but  by  superseding  its 
occasions  of  using  the  sword.  There  is  no  inward 
LIGHT  of  any  sort  in  man,  that  will  correct  his  er- 
rors or  convert  his  soul  or  reform  his  millions  on 
the  earth.  The  grace  of  the  gospel  alone  can  work 
his  melioration.  It  is  only  by  the  diff'usion  of  "the 
glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God,"  and  its  ere- 


256 


deuce  in  the  world,  that  such  a  period  ever  will 
arrive  !  The  means  are  revealed,  just  as  much  as 
the  end,  in  the  scriptures  of  truth  :  and  the  oppo- 
sers  of  missions  to  the  heathen,  of  the  operations 
of  Bible  societies,  Sabbath-schools,  and  other  evan- 
gelical instrumentalities  of  communicative  good- 
ness, however  they  may  say  or  think  themselves 
desirous  of  the  result,  are  really  its  most  formidable 
and  guilty  retarders.  Meanwhile,  the  magistracy 
is  not  to  be  disarmed  or  divested  of  the  thunders  of 
God.  Quakerism  has  had  a  trial  of  its  plenipoten- 
tiary light,  for  nearly  two  centuries.  What  state 
has  adopted  it ;  or  what  promise  does  it  unfold  of 
its  own  ultimate  prevalence,  or  of  its  ever  pacifying 
the  nations  It  is  an  obscuration  of  the  light  of 
Christianity  and  a  delusion  that  supersedes  its  influ- 
ence. Is.  2 :  2-5.  Matt.  28  :  18-20.  Rom.  16  : 
25-27.  Dan.  7  :  26,  27.  12  :  9-13.  Rev.  20  :  1-6. 
These  passages  show  the  reality  of  the  millen- 
nium and  the  theory  of  its  eventuation.  Inward 
light  can  only  retard  and  prevent  it.  "For  out  of 

ZlON  SHALL  GO  FORTH  THE  LAW,  AND  THE  WORD  OF 

THE  Lord  from  Jerusalem.  And  he  shall  judge 

AMONG  THE  NATIONS,  AND  SHALL  REBUKE  3IANY  PEO- 
PLE :  AND  THEY  SHALL  BEAT  THEIR  SWORDS  INTO 
PLOUGH-SHARES,  AND  THEIR  SPEARS  INTO  PRUNING- 
HOOKS  :  MATION  SHALL  NOT  LIFT  UP  SWORD  AGAINST 
NATION,  NEITHER  SHALL  THEY  LEARN  WAR  ANY 
MORE.  O  HOUSE  OF  JaCOB,  COME  YE,  AND  LET  US 
WALK  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  LoRD  !" 

My  fathers  and  brethren  ;  in  what  follows  of  this 
work,  I  shall  address  you  really,  but  with  still  less 


257 


directness  and  form.  The  volume,  as  it  is  now  to 
go  forth,  is,  I  hope,  destined  in  providence  to  do 
some  good.  Again,  I  say,  with  the  matter  I  am 
comparatively  contented.  The  manner  is  much 
more  vulnerable.  It  has  indeed  very  little  of  my 
own  confidence.  I  entreat  you,  however,  to  reflect 
on  the  exceeding  difficulty  of  doing  such  a  service 
in  a  style  felicitous  and  acceptable  :  especially  for 
one  so  situated ;  so  interrupted  and  hurried  with 
other  duties.^'^  You  will  defend  the  cause  of  truth, 
and  the  fortunes  of  my  humble  book,  only  as 
they  appear  to  you  congenial  or  identified.  I  can 
ask  no  more — unless  it  be  your  prayers  for  me  and 
"my  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh!"  The  junior 
prophet  exclaimed,  while  the  patriarch  sage  ascend- 
ed ;  *'  My  father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel, 
and  the  horsemen  thereof!"  It  was  well  and  elo- 
quently said.  The  genuine  prophetic  service,  the 
christian  ministry  more  eminently,  the  pious  and 
the  learned  fathers  of  the  church,  are  the  defence 
of  the  country  ;  the  munition  of  the  nation  ;  the 
treasure  of  the  state  :  nor  will  I  wait  the  time  to 
catch  your  falling  mantle,  or  lament  your  departure, 
if  permitted  to  survive,  before  I  express  my  grate- 
ful conviction  of  the  truth.  The  ministers  of  the 
gospel — that  deserve  the  name — are  "  the  messen- 
gers of  the  churches  and  the  glory  of  Christ." 
Jesus  Christ  holds  them  as  "stars"  in  his  own 
right  hand.  He  defends  them  too  ;  "saying.  Touch 
not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm." 
The  history  of  this  country  demonstrates  the  same 

33 


258 


truth  in  every  chapter  :  and  so  long  as  Christianity, 
pure  and  free,  shall  continue  to  throw  over  us  the 
mantle  of  celestial  influence,  we  shall  endure  and 
flourish,  the  hope  and  the  wonder  of  the  world. 
This  is  the  only  inspiration  we  need .  The  institu- 
tions of  our  civil  freedom  are  comparatively  conge- 
nial with  the  principles  of  the  gospel.  "  In  com- 
parison with  the  rest  of  the  world,"  says  Baxter, 
"  I  shall  think  that  land  happy  which  hath  but  bare 
liberty  to  be  as  good  as  the  people  are  willing  to 
be."  How  much  more  liberty  do  we  enjoy  or — per- 
vert !  Here  we  may  think  and  act  and  worship 
without  fear.  There  is  no  temptation — I  had  al- 
most said — not  to  be  honest.  It  is  the  vantage- 
ground  of  evidence  :  and  we  are  all  willing  to  make 
this  league  even  with  infidelity  and  heresy — that 
we  will  on  all  sides  freely  examine,  so  that  evidence 
only  may  lead  us  :  and  that  system  shall  alone 
prevail  that  can  stand  the  shock  of  all  rational  dis- 
cussion. Christianity,  I  venture  nothing  in  saying 
it,  is  such  a  system  ;  and  just  as  evident  is  it  that 
there  is  no  other :  consequently,  Quakerism  is  not 
that  system  ;  and  therefore  only  do  I  benevo- 
lently desire  to  see  it  universally  superseded. 
"Prove  all  things:  hold  fast  that  which  is  good.'^ 
It  is  strange  that  any  one  shpuld  so  err  respecting 
the  nature  of  benevolqnce,  as  to  question  either  its 
vital  connexion  with  truth,  or  its  fearless  delight 
in  evidence,  or  the  vigor  and  the  principle  of  all  its 
proper  demonstrations  ;  sinqe  the  predominance  of 
selfishness  alone  can  adequately  account  for  the 
apathy  or  the  antipathy  of  millions  toward  the  gos- 


259 


pel.  "And  this  is  the  condemnation!"  "For 
it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have  known  the 
way  of  righteousness,  than,  after  they  have  known 
it,  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandment  delivered 
unto  them." 


— QiO®— 

THE   GRAl^D  ERROR. 

Sint  castae  delieiae  meae,  scripturae  luae  ;  nec  fallar  in  e'la,  nec  fallam 
ex  eis.  AuGusTiNF.. 
O  be  thy  written  Word  my  cliaste  delight; 
Guiding  my  earthly  pilgrimage  aright ! 
In  it  I  know  my  soul  is  not  deceived; 
From  it  I  speak  the  truth  to  be  believed. 

It  was  needful  forme  to  write  unto  you,  and  exhort  you  that  ye  shouf.d 

EiRNESTLr  CONTEND  FOR  THE  FAITH  WHICH  WAS  ONCE  DELIVERED 
U!»TO   THE  SAINTS.     Jude,  3. 

For  there  must  also  be  heresies  among  you,  that  they  who  are  approved 
may  be  made  manifest  among  you.    1  Cor.  Hi  19. 

Then  shall  ye  return  and  discern  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ; 
between  him  that  serveth  God,  and  him  that  serveth  him  not.    Mai.  3  :  18. 

The  prophet  that  teacheth  lies,  he  is  the  tail.  For  the  leaders  of  this  people 
cause  thera  to  err;  and  they  that  are  led  of  them  are  destroyed.  Isa.  9:  16,  16. 

The  prophet  that  hath  a  dream,  let  him  tell  a  dream;  and  he  that  hath  my 
word,  let  him  speak  my  word  faithfully.  \Miat  is  the  chaff  to  the  wheat? 
saith  the  Lord.  Jer.  23  :  28. 

For  without  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  whoremongers,  and  murderers, 
and  idolaters,  and  WHOSOEVER  LOVETH  AND  MAKETH  A  LIE. 
Kevelalions,  22  :  15. 

I  have  not  sent  these  prophets,  yet  they  ran  :  I  have  not  spoken  to  thera, 
yet  they  prophesied.     But  if  they  had  stood  in  «♦  counsel,  and  had 

CAUSED  MY  PF.OPr.B  TO  HEAR  MY  WORDS,  THEN  THEY  SHOULD  HAVE  TURNED 
THEM  FROM  THEIK  EVIL   WAV,  AND  FROM  THE  EVIL  OF  THEIR  DOINGS.  Jei". 

23:21,22. 

But  though  we,  or  an  ancel  from  heaven,  preach  any  other  Gospel  unto 
you  than  that  which  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let  him  be  accursed  !  As 
we  said  before,  so  say  I  now  again,  if  any  [man  or  angel]  preach  any  other 
Gojpel  unto  you  than  ye  have  received,  let  him  be  accursed.  Gal.  1  ;  8.  9. 


V 


4 


PART  SECOND. 


THE  GRANO  ERROR. 

For  the  sake  of  argument  and  for  the  sake  of  be- 
nevolence we  ought,  as  in  all  controversies,  so  emi- 
nently in  this,  to  ascertain  the  grand  points  in  re- 
spect to  which  the  parties  are  agreed.  To  state  all 
these  might  not  be  useful ;  but  some  there  are  upon 
which,  I  suppose,  our  coincidence  will  be  admitted 
by  all.  These  shall  be  carefully  recorded  in  the 
outset;  and  by  the  writer  assumed  as  principles  of 
reasoning  in  the  subsequent  pages.  As  Barclay 
can  be  shown  to  sanction  several  of  them.  Friends 
will  probably  assent  to  as  many  of  these  principles. 

1.  The  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, as  generally  received  by  the  protestant 
world,  contain,  in  their  proper  and  native  meaning, 
the  truth,  and  in  respect  to  that  meaning  are  evi- 
dently THE  TRUTH. 

2.  These  scriptures  were  given  by  inspiration  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  for  the  benefit  of  mankind. 

3.  Truth  is  a  unit;  that  is,  it  is  always  consistent 


264 


with  itself ;  as  "  no  lie  is  of  the  truth  :"  and  hence 
REVELATION  is  ONE  SYSTEM,  of  different  but  related 
parts  in  divine  harmony. 

4.  It  is  impossible  that  the  same  Holy  Spirit,  that 
equally  inspired  Moses  and  the  beloved  John  and 
all  the  intervening  prophets  and  apostles,  should 
ever  contradict  himself  or  reveal  things  contrary  to 
his  own  revelation  on  any  other  theme  or  occasion  : 
we  hold  this,  distinguishing  between  verbal  and 
virtual  contradictions ;  as,  for  example,  man  is  mor- 
tal— man  is  immortal :  God  can  do  all  things — God 
cannot  lie. 

5.  Whatever  is  proved  to  be  contrary  to  scripture, 
is  necessarily  false  :  and  consequently,  whatever  is 
proved  to  coincide  with  scripture  is  necessarily  true. 

6.  Whatever  duty  is,  according  to  scripture,  bind- 
ing on  the  present  worshippers  of  God,  is  binding 
by  divine  authority  and  cannot  be  habitually  omitted 
or  violated  without  sin :  though  duties  and  sins 
differ  inimitably  in  form  and  degree. 

7.  Almost  every  rule  has  its  exceptions ;  which 
however  do  not  impair  (they  rather  confirm)  the 
rule  :  as,  this  proposition — it  is  appointed  unto  men 
once  to  die  may  be  styled  the  rule  of  our  faith  in  re- 
spect to  the  mortality  of  the  species ;  but  Enoch  and 
Elijah  never  did  and  never  will  die,  though  they  are 
of  the  species  and  were  once  alive  on  the  earth  ; 
they  become  exceptions  to  the  rule,  by  which  how- 
ever the  rule  is  confirmed  rather  than  impaired. 

8.  It  is  monstrous  and  mischievous  to  invert  the 
foregoing  principle  ;  that  is,  to  make  a  rule  of  an 
exception,  or  to  mistake  the  exception  for  the  rule  : 


265 


thus,  for  example  ;  Enoch  and  Elijah  were  men, 
and  they  never  died  and  never  will  die  ;  therefore  I 
and  all  other  men  will  never  die — we  shall  either 
be  translated  or  exist  in  this  world  for  ever ! 

Take  another  illustration.  Iscariot  was  an  apos- 
tle of  Jesus  Christ ;  he  was  also  *'  a  devil,"  a  sordid 
traitor,  one  of  the  worst  of  men  and  "the  son  of 
perdition therefore  the  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ 
were — but  I  forbear  !  Iscariot  was  the  exception 
and  the  only  one,  to  the  rule  that  the  apostles  of 
Jesus  Christ  were  in  holiness  resembling  the  angels 
of  God,  in  fidelity  incorruptible,  in  goodness  super- 
lative, and  in  salvation  for  ever  glorious.  There 
are,  however,  some  subordinate  exceptions,  of 
constancy  rather  than  of  character,  in  the  history 
of  the  holy  apostles,  that  do  not  disprove  their 
exalted  excellence  in  general,  while  they  reveal 
notwithstanding  their  imperfection  in  particular 
instances. 

9.  The  best  thing  may  be  abused,  and  abused  to 
a  dreadful  and  intolerable  degree.  Still,  the  thing 
itself  remains  the  same  ;  and  to  disparage  it,  on 
account  of  its  abuse  by  men,  or  to  make  it  respon- 
sible for  that  abuse,  or  to  infer  tJie  obligation  of  its 
disuse  from  such  premises,  instead  of  judging  of  the 
same  by  a  correct  standard  according  to  its  proper 
nature,  is  illegitimate  in  reasoning,  and  would  in 
its  consequences  empov/er  the  wicked  to  destroy 
(by  merely  abusing)  universal  goodness  ;  while,  at 
the  same  time,  it  would  enervate  the  strength,  de- 
grade the  cause,  and  ruin  the  friends,  of  all  righte- 
ousness ;  since  the  abuse  of  any  thing  may  be  ad- 

34 


266 


mitted  by  a  christian,  and  also  abhorred  and  de- 
plored by  him,  without  destroying  the  moral  rela- 
tion between  that  thing  and  him  ;  and  since  also 
the  very  idea  of  its  abuse  presupposes  its  intrinsic 
goodness  and  affirms  the  wickedness  of  its  abusers 
alone.  For  example  :  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  ii; 
a  divine  institution,  and  one  of  incalculable  excel- 
lence and  usefulness ;  but  none  perhaps  beside  it 
(unless  that  of  marriage)  has  been  so  sacrilegiously 
and  horribly  abused  in  every  way  ;  is  the  institution 
therefore  bad,  as  bad,  and  as  worthy  to  be  execra- 
ted and  scouted  by  the  whole  community  as  are 
its  abuses  and  abusers  1 

10.  He  cannot  be  wrong  who  goes  really  accord- 
ing to  the  scripture. 

11.  The  Bible  is  a  good  book. 

12.  It  is  possible  that  a  knowledge  and  love  of  the 
contents  of  the  Bible  may  induce  a  man  to  defend 
it  with  vehemence,  and  even  to  oppose  men  with 
decision  for  its  sake  ;  while  his  feelings  toward  their 
personal  interests,  whom  he  judges  to  be  adverse  to 
that  book  of  God,  are  not  the  less  benevolent,  but 
the  more  so,  because  of  his  supreme  regard  for 
truth,  and  for  God,,  its  Author  and  avenger. 

13.  Purity  is  properly  before  peace,  and  properly 
before  unity;  while  purity,  unity,  peace,— Just  in 
that  order  of  precedency, — are  all  desirable. 

14.  Communion  of  feeling  is  founded  on  com- 
munion of  sentiment ;  so  that  doctrinal  coincidence 
always  induces  (or  tends  to  induce)  union  of  affec- 
tion ;  doctrinal  contrariety  or  divergency  equally 
inspires  alienation;  and  no  combination  of  senti- 


2G7 


ment,  soul,  or  action,  is  comparatively  desirable, 
except  that  which  results  from  "  the  truth  as  it  is 
in  Jesus." 

To  the  last  two  of  these  statements,  I  doubt  in- 
deed if  Friends  will  agree.  /  however  believe  them. 
Instead  of  others,  let  us  mind  a  standard  passage 
in  James,  3:17.  "  But  the  wisdom  that  is  from 
above  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  easy  to 
be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  without 
partiality,  and  without  hypocrisy."  Mark! — the  ce- 
lestial wisdom  is  first  pure — then  peaceable !  If 
I  mistake  not,  this  is  the  very  reverse  of  the  wisdom 
of  mankind.  They  wish  us  to  be  first  "peaceable, 
gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good 
fruits,"  and  other  benignities,  and  then — after  all 
these  harmless  qualities — then — if  ever — "  pure !" 
But  purity  must  precede,  or — the  wisdom  "  de- 
scendeth  not  from  above ;  but  is  earthly,  sensual, 
devilish."  Here  is  the  point  of  divergency  !  The 
great  question  is,  shall  purity  or  peace  precede  1 
If  peace  had  always  been  preferred  in  the  church, 
such  a  thing  as  persecution  for  righteousness'  sake 
had  not  been  known.  I  would  however  wish  always 
to  retain  the  spirit  of  moderation  and  benevolence, 
even  when  engaged  in  controversy  respecting  fun- 
damentals. To  use  the  excellent  words  of  an 
esteemed  cotemporary ;  (Dr.  Fitch,  of  Yale  Col- 
lege ;)  "  the  heat  does  not  enable  us  to  see,  it  is  the 
light  only.  Truth  is  learned  only  at  the  pure  foun- 
tains of  evidence.  Authority  does  not  create  it; 
dogmatism  recommends  it  not;  neither  5oes  vio- 
lence impose  it :  from  such  task-masters  conscience 


268 


retreats  that  she  may  hear,  in  the  still  silence  of 
her  musings,  the  voice  of  God." 

15.  It  is  proper  to  use  the  scripture  in  all  rehgious 
investigation,  since  it  was  given  to  this  very  end, 
that  the  man  of  God  might  be  accomplished  for 
every  good  work ;  according  to  that  signal  testi- 
mony of  the  apostle,  which  I  thus  alter  in  the  trans- 
lation, to  make  it  more  orderly  and  like  the  original ; 
"  All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God  ;  and 
is  profitable  for  instruction,  for  conviction,  for  cor- 
rection, for  education  in  righteousness ;  so  that  the 
man  of  God  might  be  accomplished,  consummately 
furnished  for  every  good  work."  2  Tim.  3  : 16, 17..:5£3) 
The  last  six  verses  of  the  chapter  ought  to  be 
read  in  their  connection  and  thoroughly  digested 
in  their  common  scope,  especially  by  Friends. 

Having  thus  stated  severaX  principles  of  reason- 
ing, by  which  to  be  governed  in  this  work,  I  will 
now  state  some  positions  of  truth,  or  things  that 
I  believe  and  shall  endeavour  to  prove  as  we  pro- 
ceed. As  in  the  former  I  have  stated  what  I  sup- 
pose will  be  mainly  admitted  on  both  sides,  so  in 
the  latter  will .  appear  what  I  indeed  believe  with 
very  high  conviction ;  but  what  (or  the  most  of 
which)  Friends  characteristically,  (if  not  univer- 
sally,) disbelieve  with  very  great  decision. 

1.  The  scriptures  are  the  paramount  rule  of 
faith  and  practice  ;  they  were  so  given  and  design- 
ed by  their  divine  Author ;  and  are  never  duly  ho- 
nored when  they  are  equalized  or  subordinated,  to 
reason,  conscience,  feelings,  private  spirits,  dreams, 


269 


revelations,  impressions,  visions,  or  influences  of 
any  other  description. 

2.  The  scriptures  are  given  by  that  kind  of  di- 
vine inspiration  (I  forbear  all  technical  names) 
which  procures  the  result  of  written  truth,  without 
any  mixture  of  error,  in  the  original  Hebrew  and 
Greek :  of  which  our  translation  is  in  the  main  a 
very  excellent  representation. 

3.  The  scriptures  have  been  providentially  pre- 
served from  all  substantial  corruptions  of  the  text, 
so  that  they  answer  the  original  design  of  their  au- 
thor in  remaining  a  volume  (or  rather  many  vo- 
lumes) of  divine  inspiration,  virtually  and  wonder- 
fully pure.  Psalm  12  :  6,  7. 

4.  Divine  illumination  or  spiritual  discernment 
characterizes  the  saints  in  all  ages,  and  is  vital  to 
the  existence  of  religion ;  that  influence,  however, 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  produces  and  matures 
it,  is  specifically  different  (in  nature  and  result) 
from  that  of  proper  inspiration. 

5.  In  true  religion,  which  is  substantially  the 
same  in  all  ages,  the  truth  of  scripture,  aflfecting  the 
mind  in  the  forms  of  preaching,  reading,  admonish- 
ing, meditating,  or  some  other  and  yet  kindred 
form,  is  the  grand  instrument  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
in  all  his  saving  operations. 

6.  All  the  moral  excellence  of  man  is  the  super- 
natural production  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  is  pro- 
perly resolvable  into  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  :" 
which  is  not  indigenous  to  the  soil,  or  the  sponta- 
neous growth  of  nature,  or  one  of  the  fruits  of  the 


270 

flesh ;  and  this  is  mainly  what  I  mean  by  the  epi- 
thet (not  miraculous,  but)  supey  natural. 

7.  Inspiration  is  a  gift  and  not  a  grace,  a  gift 
that  may  more  benefit  others  than  its  subject;  and 
so  is  not  necessary  at  all  to  be  personally  experi- 
enced in  order  to  salvation ;  since  otherwise,  all 
that  were  not  divinely  inspired,  as  the  apostles 
were,  are  infallibly  lost ;  since  wicked  men,  as 
Baalam,  Caiphas,  and  many  others,  were  divinely 
inspired,  but  never  (as  we  must  think)  regenerated  ; 
and  since  the  inspiration  of  the  writers  of  scripture, 
though  they  were  "  holy  men  of  God,"  in  no  part 
constituted,  however  it  might  have  occasionally  and 
even  eminently  assisted,  their  personal  religion. 

8.  We  have  no  evidence  that,  since  (or  near)  the 
apostolic  age,  there  has  been  one  proper  miracle 
wrought,  or  one  human  being  divinely  inspired,  or 
that  there  exists  any  more  the  necessity  than  the 
reality  in  our  age  of  such  wonderful  endowments. 

9.  To  pretend  or  affect  inspiration,  Avithout  pos- 
sessing it,  or  being  able  to  give  any  proof,  either 
miraculous  or  rational,  of  its  reality,  is  either  capital 
impiety  or  terrible  delusion,  or  probably  both.  It 
is  incalculable  misery  and  guilt ! 

10.  No  man  evades  or  habitually  disparages  the 
authority  of  scripture,  who  is  not  to  be  suspected, 
as  secretly  conscious  or  timorous  that  the  scripture 
itself  is  his  moral  enemy. 

11.  To  disparage  or  corrupt  the  influence  of 
scripture  upon  the  minds  of  men,  is  enormous  sin  ; 
a  sin  especially  against  the  first  three  and  indeed 
all  the  commandments  of  the  decalogue  ;  a  sin  that 


271 


awfully  jeopards  the  souls  of  those  who  are  engaged 
in  it,  teaching  or  taught. 

12.  A  man  who  is  afraid  of  investigation,  in  res- 
pect to  the  principles  of  his  faith,  is  most  probably 
destitute  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 

13.  A  man  who  knows  the  truth  and  loves  it, 
does,  in  every  instance,  desire  its  universal  recog- 
nition and  diffusion. 

14.  The  knowledge  and  love  of  "  the  truth  as  it 
is  in  Jesus  "  is  a  proper  definition  of  vital  religion. 
"  True  religion,"  says  President  Edwards,  "  in  a 
great  measui-e  consists  in  holy  affections.  A  love 
of  divine  things,  for  the  beauty  and  sweetness  of 
their  moral  excellency,  is  the  spring  of  all  holy  af- 
fections." Such  love  of  things  invisible,  howe- 
ver, presupposes  knowledge  and  discrimination  ;  of 
which  revealed  truth  is  the  only  medium,  and  faith 
in  it  the  indispensable  way. 

15.  A  man  whose  personal  religion  cannot  stand 
the  test  of  scripture,  is  much  more  evidently  unable 
to  endure  the  ordeal  of  eternal  judgment — to  which 
he  goes. 

16.  It  is  the  highest  interest,  the  present  and  ul- 
timate happiness,  of  a  man  to  come  to  the  know- 
ledge and  acknowledgment  of  the  truth,  the  whole 
truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth  :  and  it  is  duty 
too ! 

17.  To  be  prejudiced  against  evidence,  is  sin  ; 
and  the  strength  of  prejudice,  however  strong  it 
may  be,  is  sinful  in  proportion  to  its  strength;  and 
perilous  to  the  soul  in  proportion  to  its  sinfulness. 

18.  To  oppose  prejudice  with  truth,  with  scrip- 


272 


lure,  with  argument ;  to  oppose  whatever  is  adverse 
to  these  by  the  same  means,  is  the  office  of  genuine 
philanthropy  and  the  signal  of  divine  benevolence. 

19.  To  believe  a  proposition  only  because  others 
believe  it ;  or  because  I  was  educated  to  believe  it ; 
or  because  it  suits  me  ;  or  because  it  seems  to  me 
honorable  to  the  divine  character;  contains  in  it 
not  a  particle  of  religious  virtue  ;  and  is  a  course 
that  has  led  thousands  of  souls  fatally  far  from 
God,  but  has  probably  never  brought  one  to  him. 

20.  Truth  is  no  pensioner  on  human  opinion, 
but  is  as  really  independent  of  what  we  think,  as 
it  is  of  what  we  wish  or  of  what  we  are ;  while  it  is 
identified  with  "  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of 
the  mouth  of  God."  Truth  is  greater  than  any  of 
us — considerably. 

21.  No  man  can  ever  savingly  possess  the  truth, 
who  does  not  appreciate  it ;  and  whose  appreciation 
is  not  practical  and  commmanding,  leading  him  to 
use  the  necessary  means,  and  to  make  the  neces- 
sary sacrifices,  and  to  show  the  necessary  decision, 
for  its  attainment.  What  self-denial  could  be  more 
promising  or  profitable  \ 

22.  The  office  of  huiman  reason  in  religion 
IS  IN  subserviency  to  scriptural  revelation  ; 
and  is  properly  three-fold ;  this — not  to  anticipate 
its  sovereign  disclosures,  or  to  imply  its  superfluity, 
or  to  invent  its  proper  contents,  or  to  dictate  to  it 
in  any  way  ;  but — (1)  to  examine  the  evidence 
which  is  said  to  sustain  its  pretensions,  as  a  com- 
munication from  God  ;(2)  to  ascertain  the  meaning 
of  its  contents,  under  the  gracious  assistance  which 


273 


it  proposes  to  the  ingenuous  inquirer — which  is  the 
noble  art  and  science  and  service  of  interpretation ; 

(3)  WISELY  TO  APPLY  TO  ALL  PRACTICAL  USES  OF  THE 
CHRISTIAN  LIFE  THE  KNOWLEDGE  SO  ACQUIRED. 

23.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  men  to  "  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth ;"  and  to  this  end  to  exer- 
cise the  reasoning  faculty  honestly  and  in  the  fear 
of  God — and  love  him  "with  all  thy  mind!''''  2  Tim. 
1:7. 

24.  The  sin  of  reasoning  in  religion  is  not  at  all 
intrinsic  to  the  exercise  ;  since  Christ  reasoned,  as 
also  did  all  the  apostles  ;  but  it  consists  in  reason- 
ing to  serve  some  evil  purpose,  of  pride,  passion, 
party,  or  perverseness  ;  and  "  meekness  of  wis- 
dom "  does  not  imply  tameness  or  insipidity  of  ar- 
gument ;  but  only  integrity  of  motive,  candor,  and 
love  of  the  truth.  James,  3 :  13. 

25.  Personalities  in  controversy  are  always  im- 
proper, if  not  malignant ;  they  can  scarcely  proceed 
from  a  good  motive  or  to  a  good  end  ;  but,  to  im- 
plicate persons  as  the  mere  result  of  principles, 
however  severe  the  implication,  or  however  tre- 
mendous the  consequence,  is  at  once  lugitiraate 
and  unavoidable. 

26.  Whether  a  Friend  is  ever  a  christian,  so  as 
to  be  saved  ;  whether  this  is  possible,  probable,  or 
common,  or  the  reverse  ;  if  savingly  pious,  how 
many  and  who  are  such,  and  in  what  proportion 
these  to  the  comparative  chaff  of  the  society  ;  these 
questions,  and  all  such  as  these,  belong,  I  think,  to 
the  solemn  arbitration  of  God  ;  they  are  questions 
which  I  wish  not  at  all  to  decide ;  and  though 

35 


274 


Friends  must  necessarily  be  affected  by  the  pnnci- 
ples  discussed,  in  common  with  all  other  people,  or 
with  special  emphasis  and  application,  yet  I  can, 
truly  say,  before  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  that  "  my 
heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  them  is,  that 
they  might  be  saved,"  and  that  I  desire  benefit  and 
not  blighting  to  their  souls  as  the  result  of  this 
publication. 

27.  Irony,  when  founded  fn  truth  and  directed, 
to  its  vindication,  is  sometimes  a  lawful  and  perhaps 
a  necessary  weapon  of  religious  controversy.  Sa- 
tire is  in  the  same  predicament.  Neither  however 
should  be  used  with  frequency  or  freedom.  There 
are  certain  usages  of  sanctimonious  absurdity,  to 
which  mankind  become  addicted  as  custom  and 
tradition  prescribe  ;  which,  having  no  foundation  in 
truth,  though  most  tenaciously  practised  as  divine 
ordinances,  can  be  successfully  assailed,  it  may  be, 
only  by  some  of  those  modes  of  reasoning  which 
make  their  folly  manifest  and  glaring  to  every  be- 
holder. 

28.  Truth  is  the  doctrine  of  facts  or  realities  or 
things.  As  these  are  the  great  archetypes  of  truth 
in  religion  ;  as  they  exist  separately  from  the  testi- 
mony that  ^describes  them  ;  so  it  is  not  even  the 
testimony  of  God  that  makes  them  as  they  are. 
His  testimony  is  the  highest  rational  evidence  of 
their  existence  ;  but  still  they  exist  independent  of 
that  testimony.  Heaven,  and  hell,  and  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead,  are  realities,  whether  known  or 
unknown,  whether  believed  or  disbelieved,  whether 
revealed  or  unrevealed.    The  testimony  of  God 


275 


concerning  them,  affects  us,  not  them ;  makes  them 
no  more  real  or  important  intrinsically,  but  com- 
municates the  certain  information  respecting  them 
which  we  infinitely  need  to  possess.  Thus  also  the 
things  of  Quakerism  are  true  or  false  intrinsically  : 
if  true,  it  will  not  be  in  the  power  of  investigation 
to  injure  them  ;  if  false,  what  harm  is  done  by  the 
investigation  that  discloses  it  1  Do  we  make  them 
false,  by  showing  tha't  they  are  so  1  Are  we  to 
blame  for  their  falsity,  or  for  showing  it  l  Is  it  a 
privilege  to  be  fundamentally  wrong'?  Is  it  the 
interest  of  a  man  not  to  know  things  as  they  are  1 
Is  error  good  for  him  1  Is  it  misanthropy  to  as- 
sist in  the  hopeful  substitution  of  truth  ?  Must 
Quakerism  be  kept  and  cherished  and  defended  at 
all  events  l  living,  dying,  and  hereafter  1  "  The 
day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by 
fire ;  and  the  fire  shall  try  every  man's  work,  of 
what  sort  it  is :"  1  Cor.  3  :  an  agent  sufficiently 
penetrating  and  impartial,  truly.  Nothing  that  is 
not  iNCOMBUSTiBLY  durable,  can  survive  that  or- 
deal of  fire ;  even  if  a  true  christian  minister  has 
reared  it,  and  reared  it  too  upon  the  right  and  only 
foundation.  Nothing  but  "  gold,  silver,  precious 
stones,"  can  last  and  emerge  unscathed.  What  then 
shall  be  the  result  with  "  wood,  hay,  stubble  ;" 
especially  if  it  be  very  questionably  or  not  at  all 
connected  with  the  immovable  foundation  ?  Let 
no  man  tempt  the  possibilities  of  eternal  judg- 
ment !  or,  let  hell  be  confounded,  as  well  as  out- 
done, by  the  desperation  of  traitors  on  the  earth, 
for  whose  redemption  "  the  only  begotten  Son " 


276 


laid  down  his  own  precious  life!  an  infinite  sacri- 
fice, worse  than  in  vain  for  them !  Truly,  they 
"  deny  the  Lord  that  bought  them ;  and  bring  up- 
on themselves  swift  destruction." 

29.  One  cardinal  doctrine  of  Christianity  may  in 
our  theological  reasoning  be  never  forgotten  with 
impunity  or  safety  :  it  is — the  sinfulness,  the 

POSITIVE  ILL-DESERT  AND  JUDICIAL  EXPOSURE  OF  THE 

WHOLE  SPECIES.  To  deny  this,  is  to  deny  the  gos- 
pel, as  well  as  the  law,  of  God.  A  system  devised 
on  purpose  to  save  sinners,  to  save  them  from  sin 
and  hell,  has  no  mercy  to  offer  to  the  innocent  and 
the  safe  :  and  if  these  are  all,  that  system  is  super- 
fluous and  vain.  But  to  admit  this,  namely,  the 
sinfulness  of  every  individual  as  morally  fallen  and 
obnoxious,  is  also  to  admit,  in  honesty  and  consis- 
tency alike,  that  none  of  us  has  any  thing  to  claim 
or  pretend  on  the  ground  of  desert,  or  any  thing 
to  fear  but  from  the  justice  of  God,  or  any  thing 
to  hope  but  from  his  grace,  his  free  and  rich  and 
wonderful  favor  toward  the  guilty  and  the  lost, 
through  the  glorious  and  only  Mediator. 

30.  On  the  last  fundamental  principle  rests  ano- 
ther, or  is  allied  to  it  as  its  proper  and  pervading 
counterpart ;  the  importance  of  which  is  properly 
infinite  and  most  demonstrably  true  :  namely,  that 
God,  in  conferring  favors  on  the  guilty,  that  is, 
where  all  deserve  injustice  the  precise  opposite  of 
favor,  may  be  a  most  sovereign  and  independent 
Potentate,  and  may  show  himself  such,  in  realizing 
to  whom  he  will,  such  favors,  in  kind  and  degree, 
in  manner  and  in  form,  as  to  himself  seems  good 


i 


277 


and  proper.  With  this,  however,  we  are  to  remem- 
ber that  sovereignty  divine  is  not  arbitrariness — or 
caprice  or  partiaUty  or  favoritism,  or  any  other  un- 
principled or  ignorant  quality.  God  has  reasons 
for  all  he  does.  They  are  infinitely  the  best  rea- 
sons in  the  universe.  They  are  infinitely  benevo- 
lent and  infinitely  enlightened.  They  are  measured 
on  a  scale  of  infinite,  intending  the  best  and  the 
greatest  good  of  being :  and  securing  this  end 
perpetually  and  gloriously  in  a  manifold  and  perfect 
dispensation.  He  cannot  be  ignorant  of  opposing 
interests  and  opposite  considerations  :  nor  can  he 
act  against  the  stronger  motive,  or  prefer  in  any 
case  a  less  to  a  greater  good,  or  a  greater  to  a  less 
evil.  Accordingly,  he  does  all  he  morally  and 
wisely  can,  in  the  circumstances,  for  the  salvation 
of  every  human  being.  But  it  is  false  and  rui- 
nous, FUNDAMENTALLY  SO,  to  affirm  that  he  must 
make  no  discriminations  of  sovereign  donation  and 
grace ;  that  he  must  do  as  much  in  every  sense  for 
one  man  as  another  ;  and  that  HE  must  not  decide 
HOW  MANY  AND  PERSONALLY  WHO  shall  hear  the 
gospel,  obey  it,  do  their  duty,  embrace  the  Savior, 
and  be  saved  by  grace  for  ever.  Rom.  11  :  4-7. 
4  :  13-16.  Matt.  20;  13-16. 
My  chief  proposition  is  that 

^    quahbrism:  is  not  chrxstzanzt?. 

My  meaning  is — not  that  Quakerism  is,  in  ail  its 
parts,  separately  taken,  hostile  to  Christianity ;  nor 
that  it  is  in  none  identical  with  Christianity  ;  nor 


278 


that  in  all  its  parts  it  must  be  repudiated  by  chris- 
tians :  but  only  that  its  distinctive  characteristics, 
major  and  minor,  constitute  a  system,  which,  as 
such,  is  not  Christianity,  is  radically  wrong ;  and 
consequently  that  it  ought  to  be  universally  ab- 
jured— since  it  is  neither  the  duty  nor  the  interest 
of  any  individual  to  mistake  the  truth  or  not  to 
know  what  it  is.  The  views  of  Friends,  touching 
the  scriptures,  the  light  within,  the  nature  of  wor- 
ship, the  office  of  reason  in  religion,  spiritual  duty 
and  the  way  of  performing  it,  are  among  their  major 
characteristics  ;  from  which  all  the  others  homoge- 
neously flow.  It  will  be  no  refutation  therefore  to 
show  that  in  minor  respects  Quakerism  is  right,  or 
that  in  such  I  am  wrong ;  the  distinctive  charac- 
teristics, that  make  the  system,  must  be  honestly 
analyzed  and  shown  not  only  to  be  consistent  with 
Christianity,  and  identical  with  it,  but  the  identity 
ITSELF — or,  nothing  is  shown  that  sustains  its  une- 
qualed  pretensions,  or  properly  relieves  it  from  the 
impeachment  that  the  wisest  and  the  best,  of  all 
ages  since  its  rise,  have  never  ceased  to  maintain 
against  it.  It  has  been  constantly  denounced  by 
the  noblest  servants  of  God  that  have  lived  as  its 
cotemporaries  since  the  times  of  Owen  and  Baxter, 
Bates  and  Howe ; — and  it  is  lauded  by  the  loose, 
the  infidel  liberal,  the  volatile,  the  heretical  notori- 
ously :  by  those  who,  all  grouped  together,  consti- 
tute an  anti-evangelical  assemblage,  whose  praise 
is  dishonor  and  whose  censure  commendation. 

One  specimen  of  what  the  most  excellent  Bax- 
ter, "  the  ecclesiastical  Demosthenes  of  the  seven- 


A 


279 


teenth  century,"  thought,  may  here  be  subjoined. 
At  Kidderminster,  a  place  favored  and  transformed 
through  his  powerful  ministry,  he  says ;  "  The 
Quakers  would  fain  have  got  entertainment,  and 
set  up  a  meeting  in  the  town,  and  frequently  railed 
at  me  in  the  congregation ;  but  when  I  had  once 
given  them  leave  to  meet  in  the  church  for  a  dis- 
pute, and,  before  the  people,  had  opened  their 
deceits  and  shame,  none  would  entertain  them 
more,  nor  did  they  get  one  proselyte  among  us." 
I  ask  any  christian  who  is  not  afraid  of  the  truth, 
whether  Baxter  would  have  built  them  up  on  their 
own  foundation  I  and  whether  he  could  have  done 
it,  without  deserting  Jesus  Christ,  at  least  for  the 
timel 

In  saying  that  Quakerism  is  not  Christianity,  let 
then  the  proposition  be  properly  understood. 

I  mean  that,  while  it  claims  identity  with  Chris- 
tianity, and  while  its  claims  are  perfectly  seraphic 
and  exclusive,  it  is  itself  a  delusive  corruption 
and  a  hideous  caricature  of  that  divine  system. 
Principia  non  homines — we  write  impersonally  of 
the  system.  My  great  reason  for  this  is  a  convic- 
tion, which  I  shall  attempt  to  evidence  to  others, 
that  it  is  not  the  religion  of  the  scriptures ;  but  a 
scheme  often  fundamentally  opposed,  in  doctrine 
and  spirit,  to  the  genuine  import  of  those  "  lively 
oracles."  I  of  course  identify  Christianity  with  the 
religion  of  the  scriptures. 

My  practical  inference  is  that  Quakerism  ought 
to  be  universally  abjured  and  the  scriptures  univer- 
sally received  as  the  superlative  substitute :  and 


280 


this,  at  the  hazard  of  all  consequences  ;  since  he 
who  knows  his  duty  toward  God,  and  refuses  to 
perform  it,  must,  without  repentance,  sink  into 
"  everlasting  destruction."  There  can  be  no  com- 
promise in  our  known  spiritual  duty. 

My  predominating  hope  of  doing  good  by  this 
treatise  is  not  necessarily  that  it  will  be  extensively 
read  by  Friends  ;  or — consequently — that  it  will 
immediately  benefit  them;  but,  satisfied  as  I  am 
that  Quakerism  shall  yet  be  dissipated  by  the  in- 
fluence of  scripture,  it  is  that  others  who  read,  may 
know  what  that  system  is,  (which  however  is  pro- 
perly no  system,)  as  contradistinguished  from  Chris- 
tianity ;  and  thus  that  this  work  may,  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  in  some  measure  subserve  the  advance- 
ment of  the  knowledge  that  shall  ultimately  make 
"the  light  of  the  moon  as  the  hght  of  the  sun ;"  and 
which,  investing  all  objects  with  its  genial  flood, 
shall  dissolve  that  formidable  iceberg  on  which  so 
many  barks  have  foundered  and  so  many  men — I 
fear — perished  for  ever ! 

My  source  of  proof  BhsAX  be  mainly  the  scriptures. 
In  adducing  however  for  refutation  the  cardinal 
and  known  peculiarities  of  Quakerism,  I  shall  not 
encumber  these  pages  with  unnecessary  proofs  or 
quotations.  I  know  the  system,  and  have  read  and 
studied  many  of  their  standard  books,  particularly 
Barclay's  Apology,  which  I  have  often  read,  and 
have  recently  and  thoroughly  reperused.  I  am  of 
course  responsible,  and  I  hope  not  incorrigible,  in 
respect  to  mistakes  or  misstatements. 

Some  respectable  christians  will  doubtless  cen- 


281 


sure  the  radicalism,  as  it  may  seem  to  them,  of  this 
way  of  procedure.  Professing  no  love  of  innova- 
tion for  its  own  sake,  nor  inclining  at  all  to  mistake 
it  for  improvement,  as  if  the  two  were  always  iden- 
tical, I  confess  myself  unable  to  accede  to  the  sen- 
timent that  Friends  are  to  be  meliorated  and  edified 
on  their  own  foundation.  I  believe  their  system,  as 
such,  to  be  fundamentally  false  :  hence  I  cannot 
trifle  with  them  or  be  other  than  radicalizing  in 
opposition  to  their  system.  For  this,  on  their  ac- 
count, I  am  cordially  sorry  and  consciously  grieved 
at  heart ;  having  no  wish  to  make  enemies  or  to 
hurt  the  feelings  of  a  human  being.  Often  have  I 
tried  to  find  some  Tarshish  conveyance,  from  the 
great  Nineveh  of  my  apprehended  duty:  but,  in 
that  direction,  I  as  often  anticipated  a  storm,  a  ship- 
wreck, a  whale.  To  me  indeed  it  seems  only  won- 
derful that  christian  men  and  christian  ministers 
should  ever  take  the  ground  of  compromise,  in  re- 
lation to  the  system.  Did  they  ever  intelligently 
compare  1  Cor.  3:11,  with  Gal.  1  :  6-9  I  I  ascribe 
their  lenity  mainly  to  ignorance  and  superficial 
judgment  respecting  it:  while  I  have  "counted  the 
cost "  of  a  more  thorough  position,  in  view  of  pos- 
sible consequences. 

Still,  to  the  persons  of  Friends,  I  am  conscious 
only  of  good  will  and  tenderness.  Could  I  not 
distinguish  between  them  and  their  system,  in  cer- 
tain modifications,  I  should  have  hope  for  none  of 
them.  As  it  is,  I  am  quite  willing  to  entreat  them; 
to  expostulate  with  them;  and  to  beseech  them 
TO  hear  me  candidly.   If  they  see  my  faults,  my 

36 


282 


prejudices,  my  extravagance,  my  severity,  let  them 
show  the  magnanimity  of  their  own  christian  con- 
descension ;  and  put  such  a  construction  of  chari- 
tableness on  the  deed,  as  will  suit  their  own  ideas 
of  its  indefinite  largeness.  To  their  youth,  espe- 
cially their  young  men,  I  would  speak  with  some 
hope  of  being  rationally  considered  and  generously 
appreciated.  I  have  been  such  an  one  myself. 
Them  I  venture  to  counsel  as  I  would  my  own 
soul.  Experience  enables  me  to  know  and  to  feel 
as  they  do.  I  sympathize  with  them.  Still,  I  sum- 
mon them  to  manliness  and  moral  courage  of  in- 
vestigation. Will  they  so  heliere  the  system  of 
their  sires,  as  if  it  were  true  only  because  they 
taught  it  to  them  \  or  as  if  examination  would  ruin 
iti  A  strange  way  to  believe  it!  What  is  this  but 
disbelief  of  its  ultimate  truth  ?  Do  you,  I  would 
say  to  them,  think  it  a  privilege  to  err?  to  be 
Friends,  even  if  you  are  not  christians  ?  to  think 
Quakerism  and  Christianity  identical,  while  fearing 
to  consult  evidence  or  look  at  the  nature  of  the 
things  !  Then  must  you  live  and  die — Friends,  just 
as  your  fathers  did:  and  certainly  they  ought  to  » 
have  been  right  I 

I  commence  with  an  investigation  of  their  doc-  ^ 
trine  of  the  inward  light.  That  doctrine  is  that 
there  is  in  every  man,  by  the  goodness  of  his  Crea- 
tor, a  certain  '  inward  light,''  which  is  equally  in  all 
men  of  all  ages  atid  of  all  countries,  by  aitention 
to  the  monitions  of  uhich  men  come  into  a  state  of 
spirituality  and  salvation ;  and  "  the  only  cause 
why  some  men  are  more  benefited  by  its  beams  than 


283 


others,  is  this — that  some  men  pay  more  attention 
to  it  than  others."" — Barclay. 

Every  sect  that  radically  deviates  from  pure  Chris- 
tianity, is  characterized  by  some  fundamental  error, 
which  is  called  the  grand  error  of  the  system. 
Such  an  error  do  I  conceive  the  inward  light  to  be 
in  the  scheme  of  Quakerism.  It  is  the  centre  of 
the  system ;  the  basis  of  the  structure ;  the  parent 
of  all  its  obliquities.  And  if,  after  all,  it  should 
appear  to  be  an  ignis  fatuus,  a  meteor  of  a  troubled 
atmosphere,  an  airy  and  mischievous  illusion,  what 
is  their  condition,  what  their  end,  who  have  con- 
signed themselves  to  its  fatal  guidance  ?  "  If  the 
light  which  is  in  thee,"  &c.  I  once  utterly  believed 
it  true — and  it  was  the  search  and  the  faith  of  the 
scriptures  that  cured  me  of  the  prejudice.  My 
reasons  are  the  following :  the  impossibility  of  an 
intelligible  definition  of  its  nature ;  the  argument, 
from  the  admission  of  its  truth,  that  the  scriptures 
are  superfluous  ;  the  fact  that  all  the  real  knowledge 
and  intelligible  preaching  of  Friends  are  derived 
from  the  scriptures ;  the  condition  and  practice  of 
those  nations,  who,  being  destitute  of  the  scrip- 
tures, but  not  on  this  theory  of  the  inward  light, 
have  had  nothing  to  embarrass  the  growth  of  its 
natural  fruits ;  the  missionary  practice  of  apostles, 
in  carrying  the  gospel  to  distant  nations  and  preach- 
ing it  to  all  the  world,  as  if  the  gospel  so  preached, 
and  not  the  universal  inward  light,  was  to  be  the 
instrument  of  salvation  "  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth ;"  the  character  of  their  preaching,  and  also 
of  his  who  commissioned  and  preceded  them,  as 


284 


wonderfully  destitute  of  all  force  and  propriety,  in 
respect  to  the  doctrine  of  inward  light,  if  that  doc- 
trine be  true ;  the  fallacy  of  all  the  evidence  upon 
which  the  doctrine  affects  to  be  supported  by  scrip- 
ture;  the  powerful  decision  of  many  passages 
against  it;  the  innumerable  contradictions  of  that 
light  as  it  shines  from  Friends;  the  paramount 
office  of  scripture,  according  to  its  own  claims,  as 
our  rule  in  religion.  On  each  of  these  reasons  I 
propose  to  enlarge. 

I.  The  impossibility  of  an  intelligible  de- 
finition OF  its  nature,  if  there  were  nothing  else 
to  impeach  its  credibility,  would  authorize  a  denial 
of  its  claims,  would  absolutely  require  this  at  our 
hands. 

What  is  this  inward  light  ?  is  a  question  which 
we  have  a  right  to  ask ;  and  which  they  ought  to 
answer,  who  say  of  its  authority  that  it  is  para- 
mount to  the  scriptures ;  and  of  its  efficacy  that  by 
attending  to  its  influence,  we  come  into  a  state  of 
salvation.  Is  it  reason,  or  conscience,  or  know- 
ledge, or  holiness,  or  blind  impulse,  or  spontaneous 
action,  or  monitorial  suggestion,  or  the  Spirit  of 
God  in  his  person  or  his  influences!  What  is  the 
thing  which  they  mean,  if  they  mean  definitely  any 
thing,  when  they  speak  of"  the  light  within  1"  Let 
them  not  scorn  this  question.  It  is  worthier  of  their 
consideration  than  their  contempt.  We  are  serious 
who  ask  it.  We  cannot  indeed  help  our  conviction 
that  there  is  no  such  thing  properly  in  existence. 
Friends  are  wont  to  use  the  pronoun  and  the  rela- 
tive, instead  of  the  direct  antecedent,  when  they 


285 


speak  of  this  indefinable  influence.  They  say,  for 
I  have  often  heard  them,  it  will  teach  thee,  it  will 
guide  thee,  it  will  keep  thee  from  the  enemy  and 
bring  thee  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.  This 
is  all  very  fine ;  and  concerning  the  scripture  in- 
strumentally,  or  the  Holy  Spirit  personally,  or  reli- 
gion personified,  it  is  both  intelligible  and  true. 
But  here  I  demand  a  definition  of  "it."  To  what 
must  I  attend,  what  must  I  follow,  by  what  rule 
must  I  go,  in  order  to  these  halcyon  and  heavenly 
results'!  They  do  not  mean  the  scripture,  unques- 
tionably. Do  they  then  mean  the  intellectual  fa- 
culty 1  This  they  often  disclaim.  "  We  look  upon 
reason  as  fit  to  order  and  rule  man  in  things  na- 
tural— yet  that  not  being  the  right  organ — it  cannot 
profit  him  toward  salvation,  but  rather  hindereth." — ■ 
Barclay. 

Is  it  conscience  ?  As  often  do  they  deny  this  ver- 
sion of  the  inward  light.  "  Our  adversaries — calum- 
niate us,  as  if  we  preached  up  a  natural  light,  or 
the  light  of  man's  naturalconscience  : — as  if  this 
which  we  preach  up  were  some  natural  power  and 
faculty  of  the  soul,  and  that  we  only  differ  in  the 
wording  of  it,  and  not  in  the  thing  itself— this  light 
of  which  we  speak  is  not  only  distinct,  but  of  a 
diflTerent  nature  from  the  soul  of  man,  and  its  facul- 
ties."— Barclay. 

Take   one   specimen,   however,    of   his  own 
"preaching  up."    It  evinces  their  common  style, 
and  either  exalts  conscience  into  "a  more  noble  and 
excellent  rule"  than  the  word  of  God ;  or, — what 
does  it  mean  1  He  says  that  Friends  "  cannot  cease 


28C 


to  pi'oclaim  the  day  of  the  Lord  that  is  arisen  in 
it,"  (the  hght)  in  order  "  that  others  may  come  and 
feel  the  same  in  themselves,  and  may  know  that 
ff?"  that  little  small  thing  that  ^  reproves  them  in 
their  hearts,  however  they  have  despised  and  neg- 
lected it  ^  is  nothing  less  than  the  gospel 
preached  in  them  ;  Christ,  the  wisdom  and  power 
of  God,  being  in  and  hy  that  seed  seeking  to  save 
their  souls."  What  a  body  of  divinity  there  must 
be,  in  "that  little  small  thing"  that  lives  so  uncom- 
fortably in  us  !  I  have  transferred  his  words,  just 
as  they  are  in  the  Apology — except  the  hands ! 
How  much  greater  the  day  (misty  as  it  is)  that 
Barclay  sheds  on  that  miserable  little  nondescript, 
than  any  of  its  own  !  As  if  a  man  should  take  a 
blazing  flambeau  into  a  dark  damp  grotto  under 
ground  to  see — a  suffocating  firefly  !  and  as  if  this, 
when  seen,  should  puzzle  all  the  entomologists,  in 
the  country  and  out  of  it,  to  ascertain  its  definition, 
species,  genus,  order,  class,  or  kingdom ! 

If  it  be  admitted  that  they  mean  something,  of 
which  their  rational  conception  is  bewildered,  one 
might  be  allowed  to  say,  it  seems  certain  that  they 
ignorantly  mean  nothing  but  natural  conscience.  I 
have  often  heard  their  preachers,  in  their  inspired 
communications,  and  others  in  common  parlance, 
appeal  to  us,  if  we  had  never  felt  that  in  us  that 
condemns  us  when  we  trespass,  the  witness  that 
cannot  be  hid  "  in  a  corner,"  or  bribed  or  doubted  ; 
that  is  "  a  terror  to  evil  doers  and  a  praise  to  them 
that  do  well."  This  is  in  substance  one  of  their 
very  common  forms  of  popular  inculcation  and  ap- 


287 


peal ;  and  as  it  is  addressed  to  all  without  discri- 
mination, and  not  to  saints  in  particular,  I  see  not 
ho\t  it  substantially  differs  from  the  tmmystical 
appeal  often  heard  from  our  pulpits ;  as  when  the 
preacher  says  ;  "  Have  you  not  often  violated  or 
defiled  your  own  consciences  t  done  what  you 
knew  was  displeasing  to  God  at  the  time,  and  so 
sinned  directly  against  his  majesty  and  goodness!" 
But  they  reclaim  at  the  sentiment.  Their  mean- 
ing, they  say,  is  far  sublimer  than  mere  con- 
science. And  plainly  their  doctrine  would  be 
ridiculous,  thus  stated,  every  man  has  a  natural 
coiiscience  ;  a  truism  which  nobody  disputes.  Nei- 
ther is  it  knowledge  that  constitutes  this  wonderful 
light,  unless  knowledge  be  innate,  or  unless  it  be 
of  some  supernatural  description  altogether  above 
definition.  Is  it  holiness,  moral  excellence,  confor- 
mity of  heart  to  God  ?  This  will  hardly  be  affirmed. 
When  God  defines  the  human  heart  for  the  human 
species,  he  defines  it  as  "  deceitful  above  all  things 
and  desperately  wicked."  What  an  omission,  if 
there  be  somewhat  radically  excellent  and  allied 
to  his  own  beauty  in  the  moral  countenance  of 
man !  That  some  of  the  Friends  believe  in  a  re- 
maining particle  of  goodness  in  the  human  heart,  I 
know ;  that  many  have  this  infidel  belief,  I  fear ; 
and  that  their  very  erroneous  conceptions  of  that 
fundamental  article,  the  depraved  natural  character 
of  man,  take  their  rise  from  the  dogma  of  inward 
light,  I  fully  believe.  They  often  speak  of  the. 
inward  seed  which  God  hath  planted  in  all  the 
hearts  of  his  human  creatures,  and  which  strives 


288 


to  take  root  and  grow  and  bear  fruit ;  but  is  too 
much  oppressed,  by  "  the  activity  of  the  creature" 
and  other  causes,  to  come  to  perfection.  They 
speak  of  "  the  principle  ;"  they  say  they  "  believe 
in  the  principle."  They  speak  of  following  "  the 
principle."  But  all  this  is  no  definition.  It  is 
not  gospel,  it  is  not  sense.  It  is  mysticism  and 
indevotional  cant !  And  it  is  worse — to  infinity, 
precisely,  worse — because  of  the  darkness  and 
uncertainty  it  sheds  upon  a  subject  of  vital  im- 
port to  the  souls  of  men !  They  tell  us  too  that 
it  is  in  "the  openings  of  the  principle"  that  their 
preachers  are  "  clothed "  with  power  to  speak  to 
the  states  of  their  auditory :  i.  e.  the  expansion 
of  this  inward  light  it  is  that  makes  the  inspiration 
of  their  preachers.  This  is  probable.  But  still  the 
question  returns ;  what  is  it  V  What  is  "  that 
which  "  and  so  forth  ?  Is  it  blind  impulse,  a  mere 
actuating  of  the  mind  t  This  they  will  hardly  af- 
firm. And  yet  /  have  seen  and  heard  such  things 
in  their  preachers  as  seemed  to  me  to  imply  that 
they  felt  themselves  to  be  each  a  mere  mouthpiece 
or  mechanical  echo  to  some  superior  mind  !  They 
often  rise  as  if  by  physical  impulsion,  stand  through 
a  long  introductory  pause,  inform  their  hearers  that 
they  know  not  what  they  have  to  communicate — 
that  they  had  "  premeditated  "  nothing — but,  that 
"  it  was  impressed  with  indubitable  clearness  in  the 
secret  of  the  mind  that,"  &c.  according  to  the 
matter  "  revealed  "  to  them  :  and  this,  while  they 
preach  almost  the  same  sermon  throughout  which 
they  have  d^eWweveA  frequently  before.  Sometimes 


289 


the  stamp  of  their  commission  is  for  the  moment 
not  quite  so  legible  or  certain  to  themselves.  Then 
the  light  teaches  such  a  style  as  this  ;  "  My  mind 
hath  been  exercised — I  felt  a  concern  to  address — I 
should  feel  easier  to  say  a  few  words — perhaps  I 
should  reach  the  state  of  some  present,  if  I  gave 
utterance  to  what  hath  been  communicated  to  my 
own  soul."  This  indeed  is  strange  inspiration,  and 
we  shall  not  feel  relieved  by  the  adduction  of  a 
thousand  similar  specimens,  in  regard  to  a  defini- 
tion of  the  true  nature  of  the  light  within.  What 
christian  does  not  pity  an  audience  of  many  hun- 
dreds, listening  to  such  oracular  edification  as  this! 
I  have  instanced  spontaneous  motion  or  action, 
meaning  a  kind  of  free-spiritedness,  by  which,  be- 
cause they  "feel  easy"  to  take  a  particular  course, 
they  infer  that  it  is  divinely  sanctioned  and  all  in 
the  light:  and  also  monitorial  suggestion,  because 
they  often  act,  as  if  an  aerial  prompter  or  angelic 
mentor  were  behind  them,  telling  them  the  way. 
This  is  seen  in  their  wonderful  occasional  abrupt- 
ness. Sometimes  darting  up  to  speak,^®  as  if  by 
electric  influence  ;  and  then  darting  down  again, 
as  if,  almost  in  the  middle  of  their  subject,  the  in- 
spiring influence  was  withdrawn  or  an  inspired  veto 
administered.  If  this  be  a  ridiculous  picture,  I  am 
sure  it  is  a  true  one !  Friends  also  know  it,  espe- 
cially the  more  intelligent.  The  quality  of  ridicu- 
lous is  not  in  the  painter  ;  nor  would  it  be  in  the 
portrait,  but  for  the  features  of  the  original ;  which 
are  not  exceeded  in  the  delineation.  It  is  a  picture 
over  which  I  could  weep  and  groan  !    What  will 

37 


290 


eternity  reveal  as  the  consequence  of  all  this  degra- 
dation of  the  worship  of  God  1  Can  the  God  of  the 
New  Testament  approve  of  such  soft  and  silly  ma- 
nagement 1 

But  do  they  refer  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  per- 
son or  his  influence,  these  powers  and  properties 
of  the  light  within  ?  I  am  aware  that  sometimes  in 
theory,  and  perhaps  in  practice,  they  do ;  nay,  that 
this  is  their  grand  pretension.  But,  allowing  for  a 
moment  that  the  light  itself  depends  for  its  exis- 
tence on  the  Spirit  of  God,  still,  this  does  not  an- 
swer the  question,  what  is  its  nature  ?  The  Spirit 
may  affect  any  one  of  the  mental  faculties,  may 
approach  and  influence  the  mind  in  a  variety  of 
forms  and  degrees,  and  through  different  mediums  ; 
but  what  is  that  influence  in  every  man  and  in 
evert/  age  and  country  that  constitutes  their  idea  of 
inward  light  ?  I  believe  it  is  properly  indefinable — 
because  it  is  a  sheer  nonentity,  a  mental  creation, 
a  dream  of  an  undisciplined  mind  that  runs  before 
evidence,  or  rather  without  and  against  it — a  mind 
that  makes  the  objects  that  it  sees,  and  very  sin- 
cerely (this  is  not  ironical,  for  sincerity  is  not  syno- 
nymous with  correctness)  mistakes  its  own  ima- 
ginings for  the  suggestions  of  "  the  eternal  Spirit !" 
But  is  it  not  awfiiH  Must  the  divine  Author  of  the 
Bible  be  made  responsible  for  the  lawless  visions 
of  men  "?  and  these  visions  of  extravagance  be  held 
co-ordinate  with  the  written  "  oracles  of  God  ;"  nay, 
paramount  to  them  1  But,  aside  from  the  manifest 
impiety  of  this,  (which  is  perhaps  one  of  the  worst 
things  in  Quakerism  and  one  of  the  most  danger- 


291 


oiis  corruptions  in  Christendom,)  what  is  its  moral 
influence  on  the  abettors  of  the  scheme  ]  Does  it 
make  them  cJvristians?  does  it  sanctify  them  ac- 
ceptable to  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  1 
If  salvation  be  possible  in  consistency  with  such 
error,  which  plainly  challenges  a  doubt,  it  is  not  by 
the  error,  but  in  spite  of  it,  that  the  mercy  of  God 

rejoiceth  against  judgment."  Error  is  poison  ; 
the  poison  of  the  soul :  and  though  we  might  pos- 
sibly receive  a  given  quantity  of  poison,  mingled 
with  our  food,  and  eat  it  without  death,  yet  no  one 
is  to  be  commended  for  such  an  act,  especially  if, 
by  repetition,  it  becomes  a  habit ;  while  the  exam- 
ple may  influence  others  whose  judgment  of  the 
safe  proportion  may  not  be  advised,  and  whose 
exit  by  the  indulgence  may  be  inevitable. 

The  assumed  connection  between  inward  light 
and  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  (of  whose 
person  and  name  we  know  nothing  that  the  scrip- 
tures have  not  taught  us,)  is  of  prime  importance 
in  this  controversy  ;  and  worthy,  if  possible,  to  be 
rationally  resolved.  By  the  Spirit  they  intend  that 
same  divine  Agent  by  whom  the  scriptures  were 
inspired.  But  if  He  is  not  the  author  of  their 
inward  light  or  at  all  chargeable  with  their  inspired 
communications,  if  the  proper  characteristics  of 
Quakerism  arise  from  some  other  source,  how  un- 
speakably important  that  this  should  be  known  by 
all!  It  is  my  full  and  deep  conviction  that  the 
Author  of  the  scriptures  is  not  the  Author 
OF  Quakerism  :  that  they  are  two  and  distinct  and 
opposite  spirits !  and  that  Quakerism  hath  origi- 


292 


nated  from  neglect  or  violation  of  this  scriptural 
commandment,  in  common  with  innumerable  others,, 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  "  Believe  not  every  spirit,  but 
try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God ;  because 
MANY  FALSE  PROPHETS  are  gone  out  into  the 
world.  Hereby  know  ye  [ascertain  ye — impe- 
ratively] THE  Spirit  of  God  :  Every  spirit  that 
confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is 
of  God.  And  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  not  of  God  : 
and  this  is  that  spirit  of  anti-christ,  whereof  ye 
have  heard  that  it  should  come ;  and  even  now 
already  is  it  in  the  world."    1  John,  4  :  1-3. 

On  this  important  passage,  of  the  known  and 
genuine  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  permit  a  few- 
reflections.  It  is  given  as  a  criterion  of  discrimi- 
nation between  the  Spirit  of  Christ  and  the  spirit 
of  anti-christ.  The  words  that  confesseth  do  not 
mean  that  admits  with  reluctance  or  cmistraint ;  as 
if  tortured  to  the  admission  ;  but  that  boldly  and 
in  a  way  that  characterizes,  asserts  the  important 
fact,  without  disparaging  its  amazing  value  or  cor- 
rupting its  sublime  intention.  It  refers  to  the  pro- 
fession of  cardinal  doctrine.  This  might  easily  be 
demonstrated — and  shall  be,  when  the  comment  is 
respectably  denied.  The  object  of  this  confession, 
the  proposition  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  [has  come] 
in  the  Jiesh,  means  (as  can  be  rigidly  shown,  when 
necessary)  that  Jesus,  the  Messiah,  has  out- 
wardly come  in  human  nature  ;  plainly  according 
to  the  historical  testimony  of  the  four  evangelists: 
verses  9  and  10.    From  these  I  infer  that  whatever 


293 


spirit  is  not  characterized  in  his  influences,  by 
professing  and  magnifying  that  grand  proposition^ 
is  a  limb  of  anti-christ.  Now  let  us  try  "  Qua- 
kerism by  this  inspired  criterion.  It  is  the  spirit 
of  Quakerism  to  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world,  comes  inwardly,  spi- 
ritually, iMPALPABLY,  in  the  hearts  of  all  men, 
as  a  "  little  small  thing."  How  is  this  coming  in 
the  flesh,  according  to  the  sense  of  scriptural  phrase- 
ology 1  He  "  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ;" 
and  this  "  is  a  faithful  saying  and  worthy  of  all 
acceptation."  He  "  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost : — not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many : 
Who  his  own  self  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on 
the  tree ;  When  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come, 
God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  made 
under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the 
law,  that  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons." 
This  is  THE  WAY  in  which  "  Jesus  Christ  came  in 
the  flesh ;"  and  the  confession  of  that  fundamental 
fact  is  made  (by  the  criterion)  the  signal  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  and  its  non-confession  the  index 
of  anti-christ.  But  the  confession  is  too  outward 
for  Friends. 

In  regard  to  the  expression  in  the  flesh,  it  may 
be  remarked  that  the  word  flesh,  in  the  style  of 
scripture,  is  (not  mystically  though)  often  figura- 
tively used  :  that  it  means  either  (1)  flesh  literally; 
or,  (2)  flesh  morally,  as  the  moral  character  of 
man  ;  or,  (3)  flesh,  referring  to  the  species  or  hu- 
man nature  or  mankind  ;  that  in  this  last  sense  is 


294 


the  expression  to  be  understood  when  it  is  said 
Jesus  Christ  has  come  in  the  Jiesh  ;  that  is,  in  hu- 
man nature.  Compare  Rom.  8  :  3.  9:5.  1  Tim. 
3:16.  1  Pet.  3  :  18.  4:1.  1  John,  4  :  2,  3.  2  John, 
7.  John,  1  :  14.  There  are  doubtless  other  senses ; 
but  these  are  the  main  ones  ;  with  which  however 
should  be  mentioned  another,  namely,  (4)  the  state 
of  human  life  temporal,  as  distinguished  from  that 
beyond  the  grave  :  as  Paul  says,  Phil.  1  :  24,  "  to 
abide  in  the  Jiesh  is  more  needful  for  you."  I  have 
heard  one  silly  version  of  the  proposition  which  is 
proposed  as  the  criterion ;  it  was  given  to  me  very 
confidently  by  a  preacher  of  Friends.  "In  the 
Jiesh,^^  said  he  ;  "  Christ  has  come  in  the  Jiesh  :  that 
is  the  inward  light,  because  it  is  in  our  flesh,  it  is 
inside  of  us.  He  is  anti-christ  that  denies  it !" 
Though  the  sage  seems  to  think  himself  withal  one 
of  the  wonders  of  the  age,  and  though  in  divers  sin- 
gular respects  he  is  truly  a  wonderful  character  and 
as  certainly  inspired  as  any  other  of  his  fraternity, 
yet  is  he  one  of  those  whose  letters  I  never  an- 
swer and  whose  positions  I  have  ceased  to  deny. 
Tale  portentum  refutationc  indignum  est,  as  Calvin 
says  of  universalism : — a  monstrosity  of  this  sort 
is  unworthy  of  serious  refutation.  He  is  too  im- 
pervious to  common  sense  and  scripture,  to  be 
worthy  of  sober  argument.  "  For  many  deceivers 
are  entered  into  the  world,  who  confess  not  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh.  This  is  a  de- 
ceiver and  an  anti-christ."  2  John,  7. 

Now  take  a  few  specimens  (thousands  might  be 
given)  of  the  confession  of  Friends.    "  Christ  is 


295 


in  all  men  as  in  a  seed,  yea,  and  he  never  is  nor 
can  be  separate  from  that  holy  pure  seed  and  light 
which  is  in  all  men.  In  this  respect  then,  as  he  is 
in  the  seed  which  is  in  all  men,  we  have  said  Christ 
is  in  all  men,  and  have  preached  and  directed  all 
men  to  Christ  in  them,  who  lies  crucified  in  them 
by  their  sins  and  iniquities,  that  they  may  look 
upon  him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and  repent : 
whereby  he  that  now  lies  as  it  were  slain  and  bu- 
ried in  them,  may  come  to  be  raised,  and  have  do- 
minion in  their  hearts  over  all." — Barclay. 

This  mysticism  and  heresy  is  a  true,  but  a  very 
moderate  specimen  of  their  general  confession.  Ai^ 
a  fact.  I  can  attest  its  truth  that  they  do  thus  say 
and  preach  and  direct  men.    It  is  their  grand 

AND  THEIR  VERY    DISTINGUISHING   CONFESSION.  It 

is  the  great  metropolis  of  the  foxian  empire  :  and 
its  native  influence  and  actual  result  are  utterly  to 
disparage  and  obscure  the  real  advent,  the  real 
crucifixion,  the  real  atonement,  of  the  Son  of  God  ! 
It  is  the  hostile  opposite  of  the  criterion  proposi- 
tion, Jesus  Christ  has  come  in  human  nature  ! 
Speaking  of  the  Jews,  the  apostle  puts  it  as  the 
climax  of  their  dignities  that  "  of  them,  as  con- 
cerning the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all, 
God  blessed  for  ever."  Here  he  teaches  that 
Christ  is  both  God  and  man  in  one  person ;  that  in 
his  human  nature  he  is  descended  of  Jewish  pa- 
rents ;  that  in  his  superior  nature  he  is  the  supreme 
God:  and  that  he  thus  "came"  into  the  world. 
This  splendid  fact  is  worthy  to  be  made  the  con- 
fession of  the  church  of  Christ. 


29G 


I  now  appeal  to  the  conscience  of  the  reader ; 
and  to  his  intelligence,  if  he  have  habitually  and 
candidly  perused  the  scriptures ;  whether  the  spirit 
of  Quakerism  be  not  the  spii-it  of  anti-christ  ?  I  do 
not  here  accuse  them,  of  what  they  disclaim.  They 
believe  the  historical  fact  of  the  mission  of  Christ 
to  our  world.  They  admit  "his  miraculous  concep- 
tion, birth,  life,  miracles,  death,  resurrection  and 
ascension,"*®  as  matters  of  fact.  But  this  is  not 
the  question.  Does  this  outward  matter  charac- 
terize them  \  Is  it  their  confession  "  We  require 
no  formal  subscription  to  any  articles,  either  as  a 
condition  of  membership  or  a  qualification  for  the 
service  of  the  church."-®  How  then  do  they  "  try 
the  spirits.^"  By  the  anti-christian  dogma  that — 
"  Every  man  coming  into  the  world,  is  endued  with 
a  measure  of  the  light,  grace  or  good  Spirit  of 
Christ."*®  This  is  their  confession  ! — a  thing,  espe- 
cially in  reference  to  a  universal  and  equal  and 
native  participation  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  which  I 
intend  to  disprove  in  the  course  of  these  pages. 
Barclay  admits  the  fact  of  the  personal  advent, 
here  and  there,  and  states  it  passingly,  in  his  big 
volume ;  but  no  more.  I  infer  that  their  spirit  is 
not  of  God. 

Thus,  though  I  cannot  define  the  nature  of  what 
they  mean  by  the  imcard  light,  I  have  traced  it  to 
its  source  ;  or  at  least  evinced  that  it  is  very  diffe- 
rent from  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  ac- 
cording to  an  inspired  criterion.  The  counterfeits 
of  a  perishable  currency  we  are  all  wise  to  detect : 
but  the  infinitely  more  deleterious  counterfeits  of 


297 


Christianity,  we  are  strangely  slow  to  discriminate. 
If  men  valued  their  souls  as  much  as  their  pro- 
perty, they  would  wisely  resist  the  imposing  fabrics 
of  the  enemy.  This,  bible  christians  are  taught 
to  do  by  the  outicard  light  of  scripture,  in  the  com- 
mencement of  their  religious  course ;  lest  Satan 
should  get  an  advantage  of  us  ;  for  we  are  not 
ignorant  of  his  devices."  How  necessary  this  to 
the  safety  of  the  soul !  "  And  no  marvel ;  for  Satan 
himself  is  transformed  into  an  angel  of  light.  Be- 
ware of  false  prophets,  which  come  to  you  in 
sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are  ravening 
wolves.  Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits."  But 
THE  CRiTERiON-FRUiT,  the  PRIMARY  iudcx  of  their 
genuineness  or  corruption — remember — is  their 
"  confession,"  their  doctrine,  the  moral  scope  of 
their  influence,  as  tested  by  "  the  oracles  of  God  ;" 
and  not  their  "  sheep's  clothing,"  their  arts  of  in- 
gratiating, their  placid  and  benign  appearance, 
their  sublime  professions,  their  overflowing  love  for 
every  body,  their  regular  irreproachable  morality, 
or  any  of  their  personal  or  active  characteristics ; 
(in  which  things  many  of  the  ancient  pharisees  sur- 
passed them  ;)  while  their  confession  is  vitiated, 
defective,  or  heretical. 

No  man  who  has  a  just  conception  of  the  death 
of  Christ  as  an  "  offering  for  sin,"  through  whose 
atonement  and  mediation  alone  as  a  Savior  by  his 
cross,  one  human  being  ever  was  or  will  be  saved, 
can  think  it  other  than  congruous  that  the  confes- 
sion of  his  advent  in  the  flesh,  as  a  historical  (as  it 
was  before  a  prophetical)  fact,  should  be  divinely 

38 


298 


made  a  criterion  of  discrimination  between  Christ 
and  antichrist ;  or  that  Quakerism  should  be  con- 
demned by  that  plain  test,  since  its  confession  is  so 
very  dissimilar  and  mystically  different,  from  the 
facts  of  his  mission  and  passion  as  detailed  by  the 
Evangelists. 

Before  I  leave  this  question  of  the  nature  of  the 
light,  it  may  be  proper  to  suggest  a  suspicion  long 
entertained  and  (I  believe)  valid,  that  there  is  some, 
perhaps  much,  of  pure  materializing  in  their  view 
of  it.  An  inserted  flame  that  tends  to  kindle  into 
glow  and  splendor,  but  is  well  nigh  suffocated  with 
humid  air  and  adverse  influences ;  a  seed  that  strives 
to  grow,  but  cannot ;  an  embryo  Savior  within 
struggling  to  be  delivered,  and  a  people  sitting  still 
in  silence  to  suffer  the  physiological  operation ! 
These  are  their  ordinary  figures  of  illustration  ! 
But — consider,  is  it  not  a  mechanical  representa- 
tion \  What  has  it  to  do  with  our  oxen  moral  agency, 
which  scripture  every  where  describes  as  the  me- 
diate arbiter  of  character  and  destiny  I  It  is  not 
spirituality  at  all  I  It  is  blindness,  grossness,  mate- 
rialism, presuming  folly,  and  essential  falsehood. 

II.  The  argument,  from  the  admission  of  the 
truth  of  this  universal  light  within,  that  the 
scriptures  are  superfluous,  is,  I  think,  rational  and 
sound.  Why  should  we  prefer  the  difficult  to  the 
easy,  the  obsolete  to  the  recent,  the  less  to  the 
greater,  the  distant  to  the  near  ?  What  use  of  the 
inferior  when  we  have  the  paramount  ?  The  con- 
sistency of  some  Friends  on  this  article,  makes  them 
at  once  malignant  fanatics  and  delirious  infidels  ! 


299 


The  policy  of  the  powers  of  darkness  is  one  of 
great  moral  unity.  Unconverted  men,  who  "  hate 
the  light  that  has  come  into  the  world,"  are  all 
united  in  the  end,  however  they  differ  in  the  means, 
to  get  rid  of  it.  They  all  however  require  some 
specious  substitute  for  "  the  holy  scriptures, 

WHICH  ARE  ABLE  TO  MAKE  US  WISE  UNTO  SALVATION, 
THROUGH  FAITH  WHICH   IS  IN  ChRIST  JeSUS."  It 

is  also  necessary  that  this  substitute  should  some 
how  be  made  to  appear  intrinsically  and  relatively 
superior  to  "  the  oracles  of  God  ;"  that  so  they 
may  support  the  character  of  candid  and  philo- 
sophic men,  who  prefer  only  what  is  "  more  excel- 
lent,'' and  prefer  it  rigidly  on  that  account.  Thus 
the  papist,  the  socinian,  the  deist,  the  philosopher 
of  scepticism,  the  mere  man  of  the  world,  the 
Friend,  and  all  other  impugners  of  the  paramount 
authority  of  scripture,  have  each  a  favorite  mode 
of  avoiding  and  disparaging  the  volume  of  God. 
But  it  is  manifest  that  their  common  aim  is  one. 
Their  common  cause  is  one,  their  common  charac- 
ter ;  and  with  some  possible  exceptions  and  pro- 
bable differences  in  degree,  one  shall  be  their 
common  doom.  Their  security  is  presumption — 
at  least  it  is  a  far  different  thing  from  their  safety. 
"  For  when  they  shall  say  '  peace  and  safety  ;'  then 
sudden  destruction  corneth  upon  them,  as  travail 
upon  a  woman  with  child  ;  and  they  shall  not 
escape."    Their  sincerity  will  not  save  them. 

The  papist  has  the  tradition  of  the  church,  and 
the  infallibility  of  "  the  man  of  sin,^^  for  his  sup- 
posed vindication  ;  while  his  Bible  moulders  un- 


300 


read,  covered  with  dust,  enshrouded  in  the  web  of 
the  spider,  and  hid  in  some  unfrequented  nook  of 
his  cloister.  His  responsibiUty  is  all  devolved  upon 
a  mere  abstraction — the  church.  So  say  the  church, 
and  I  must  believe  it,  is  the  summary  of  his  creed. 
What  a  conveniency !  almost  as  good  as  "  a  mea- 
sure "  of  inward  light.  But  who  is  the  church  ? 
Of  this  community  each  one  is  a  constituent  mem- 
ber ;  but,  in  his  creed,  each  depends  upon  all 
the  others ;  all  manage  to  alienate  their  individual 
responsibility  ;  the  whole  of  them  elude  its  pres- 
sure ;  the  Pope  himself  believes  as  the  church  does  ; 
the  voice  of  the  Bible  is  drowned  in  the  din  ;  and 
iniquitous  superstition,  bigotted,  bloody,  persecut- 
ing, blind,  and  infallible  as  Quaker  inspiration, 
performs  its  pagan  orgies  of  execrable  devotion — 
besides  maintaining  the  lateran  council,  commis- 
sioning the  Jesuits,  canonizing  sinners,  vend- 
ing indulgences,  managing  the  fires  of  purgatory, 
comforting  the  Inquisition,  and  wielding  the  Pro- 
paganda. 

The  socinian  admits  the  general  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity :  but  makes  his  own  reason,  i.  e.  his  selfish- 
ness, so  to  interpret  the  meaning  of  its  documents, 
that  he  learnedly  ascertains  from  them  all  his  pe- 
culiar views.  Reason  is  his  substitute  ; — a  goddess 
well  bred  and  vastly  genteel,  but  often  as  fanatical 
as  the  priestess  on  the  tripod  ;  as  perfidious,  not 
to  say  as  profligate,  as  the  deity  of  revolutionary 
France.  To  Reason  he  can  latently  prescribe  what 
she  must  sanction  ;  and  thus  he  manages  to  antici- 
pate what  scripture  must  reveal.    There  are  no 


301 


mysteries  in  his  creed  : — except  that  he  should 
need  any  revealed  help  from  heaven,  seeing  he  can 
teach  and  reform  it  vv^hen  it  comes  !  With  him 
Jesus  Christ  is  only  a  creature ;  his  death  a  mere 
sentimental  display  of  suffering  virtue,  or  conscious 
truth,  or  sublime  martyrdom  ;  and  at  all  events  no 
atonement  for  our  sins  :  Satan  is  a  mere  personi- 
fication of  evil ;  and  hell  a  nonentity.  With  him 
experimental  religion  is  not  revealed  in  the  Bible  ; 
eternal  punishment  is  a  pure  impossibility,  which 
no  evidence  can  prove  ;  regeneration  is  an  absur- 
dity ;  serious  religion  the  etfect  of  ignorance  ;  and 
the  Holy  Ghost  himself  no  person,  no  being;  but  a 
mere  attribute,  energy,  relation,  quality,  virtue, 
influence.  TIius  he  evades  the  whole  power  of 
the  gospel,  and  is — a  gentleman. 

The  deist  comes  to  the  same  result  by  extrava- 
gantly magnifying  the  light  of  nature.  So  great  is 
this  light,  that  the  Bible  is  unnecessary.  He  can 
demonstrate  that  God  is  not  prodigal  of  his  gifts  ; 
and  when  "  the  heavens  declare  his  glory  and  the 
firmanent  showeth  his  handy  work,"  as  there  is  no 
necessity,  so  neither  is  there  any  reality  in  a  reve- 
lation of  another  sort.  And  we  must  admit,  he 
says,  his  conclusions,  if  we  grant  his  premises  :  for 
God  is  a  wise  economist,  as  well  as  a  most  munifi- 
cent king ;  and  what  is  altogether  unnecessary, 
he  will  assuredly  not  communicate :  and  of  what  is 
necessary,  the  deist  is  a  competent  judge. 

Safe  in  the  lianfls  of  one  disposing  power, 
Or  in  the  natal  or  the  mortal  hour. 


302 


The  sceptical  philosopher  is  the  disciple  of  the 
lights  of  science.  He  is  above  the  need  of  celes- 
tial guidance.  The  Bible  will  do  for  the  herd,  but 
he  is  elevated  above  the  necessity  of  such  anti- 
quated rules.  He  is  as  well  assured  as  if  his  geo- 
graphy had  mapped  the  interior  of  the  eternal 
world.  He  understands  the  wonderful  facts  of 
natural,  and  the  sublime  discoveries  of  contempla- 
tive and  experimental  science.  He  has  learned  to 
doubt  where  others  are  sufficiently  gross  to  be- 
lieve ;  having  ascertained  that  the  philosophy  of 
the  Bible  is  radically  wrong.  It  may  be  a  good 
book  to  awe  the  world  and  aid  the  magistracy. 
But  if  all  men  were  as  enlightened  by  philosophy 
as  some  are,  the  Bible  would  be  utterly  exploded. 
In  the  times  of  Robert  Boyle  and  Sir  Isaac  New- 
ton, philosophers  were  not  "  renewed  up  "  to  these 
heliocentric  discoveries. 

The  mere  man  of  the  world  finds  pleasure,  and 
wants  no  more.  This  divinity  is  with  him  a  suc- 
cedaneum  for  God  and  goodness.  The  Bible  is 
good  for  the  squalid  and  the  unfortunate  ; 

As  beads  and  prayer-books  are  the  toys  of  age; 

But  if  all  could  be  as  happy  without  it,  as  he  is,  its 
room  would  be  better  than  its  company.  What  a 
pity  that  such  voluptuaries  should  ever  get  sick  and 
die;  and  possibly  come  to  judgment  in  a  future 
state !  But  every  now  and  then  it  happens  that 
one  drops  off. 

The  Friend  gets  rid  of  the  Bible  as  effectually 


303 


as  any  one  of  the  foregoing,  and  much  more  spe- 
eiously.  And  why  not,  since  he  has  something 
better  within  ?  why  not,  when  the  inward  light  is 
paramount?  They  have  the  spirit,  that  teaches 
them  to  disparage  the  words  of  the  Spirit !  They 
drink  at  the  fountain,  and  what  need  of  the  streams? 
They  walk  by  the  Lawgiver,  and  not  by  the  law  1 
Their  preachers  are  just  as  really  inspired  as  was 
Paul ;  and  why  go  to  his  antiquated  writings,  when 
they  have  fresh  inspirations  at  hand  \  Beside, 
Friends  doubt  sometimes  whether  Paul  was  in- 
spired in  all  that  he  wrote.  There  are  some  things 
in  his  epistles  that  look  rather  carnal ;  as  if  he  was 
not  then  "  delivered  from  the  letter,"  or  as  if  ho 
had  strayed  away  from  his  guide  ;  as  they  often  do  ! 

That  Friends  do,  all  of  them,  in  London,  New- 
York,  and  Philadelphia,  and  of  all  ages  since  their 
rise,  unite  in  denying  the  paramount  authority  of 
scripture,  is  infallibly  a  fact.  That  they  do  this 
Avith  much  subtlety  of  argumentation,  I  believe  ; — 
as  I  also  believe  that  their  argumentation  is  in  its 
process  pure  sophistry,  and  in  its  result  pure  heresy. 

Their  grand  sophism  may  be  detected  by  distin- 
guishing the  personal  dignity  of  the  Spirit,  com- 
pared with  all  his  influences.  It  is  a  more  general 
truth  that  the  Agent  is  greater  than  the  action. 
The  Holy  Ghost  is  greater  than  the  scriptures,  and 
greater  than  a  miracle,  and  greater  than  creation. 
He  is  greater  than  any  or  all  of  his  influences, 
miraculous  or  ordinary.  Why  are  Friends  so  ela- 
borate, with  Fox  and  Barclay  at  their  head,  to 
prove  what  no  christian  ever  denied  \    The  Holy 


304 


Ghost  is  God,  and  God  is  greater  than  all  his 
works.  The  inspiration  of  the  scriptures,  for  the 
use  of  men,  proceeded  from  the  Holy  Ghost.  Now, 
what  is  the  position  of  a  consistent  protestant  here  1 
It  is  this — the  Bible  is  a  code  of  laws  which  I  am 
obligated,  in  reverence  for  its  divine  Author,  heart- 
ily to  obey  as  my  paramount  ride  of  faith  and 
action.  What  the  position  of  a  Friend^  As  the 
Spirit  that  inspired  the  Bible  is  greater  than  the 
Bible,  I  am  determined  by  the  light  within  to  walk 
by  the  greater  and  not  by  the  less.  That  is — the 
Friend  makes  a  rule  of  the  Ruler,  a  law  of  the 
Lawgiver ;  and  a  practical  nonentity  of  the  volume 
legislated  by  rightful  authority  on  purpose  to  regu- 
late all  his  actions!  This  I  call  THEIR  GRAND 
ERROR — the  monstrous  and  mortal  sophism  of 
the  Quakers.  Hear  their  champion.  Though  the 
scriptures  are  all  true,  "  nevertheless,  because  they 
are  only  a  declaration  of  the  fountain,  and  not 
the  fountain  itself,  therefore  they  are  not  to  be 
esteemed  the  principal  ground  of  all  truth  and  know- 
ledge, nor  yet  the  adequate  primary  rule  of  faith 
and  manners. — Therefore  also  the  Spirit  is  more 
originally  and  principally  the  rule,  according  to 
that  received  maxim  in  the  schools,  Propter  quod 
unumquodque  est  tale,  illud  ipsum  est  magis  tale. 
Englished  thus:  That  for  which  a  thing  is  such, 
that  thing  itself  is  more  such.''"' 

Let  us  see  how  this  reasoning,  applied  to  the 
legislature  of  the  nation,  would  evince  the  superior 
patriotism  of  its  disciples.  Ordinary  people  think 
it  right  to  honor  "  the  powers  that  be  "  in  a  way  of 


305 


peaceably  obeying  the  laws.  But  suppose  a  poli- 
tical sect  should  arise  to  reform  us  all  in  that  gross 
conception  ;  and  should  assume  to  know  a  better 
way,  a  far  more  excellent  style  of  patriotism.  We 
listen  to  their  wisdom ;  and  this  is  its  sum  :  "  These 
Jaws,  fellow  citizens,  can  never  make  you  patriots. 
They  are  all  indeed  very  good,  and  ye  are  in  the 
habit — we  hear — of  having  every  family  in  the 
country  provided  with  a  copy  of  them.  For  this 
you  have  large  societies  and  levy  a  fearful  tax  upon 
the  coffers  of  the  poor.  We  are  afraid  that  ye  are 
all  trusting  to  the  dead  letter  of  ordinances ;  and 
much  concerned  that  ye  should  be  brought  off  from 
these  outward  things  to  hunt  for  patriotism  in  the 
secret  of  your  own  hearts.  There  after  all  is  the 
place  for  it.  Types  and  paper  and  law  phrases 
never  yet  made  a  patriot.  It  is  all  within  that  the 
true  virtue  is  to  be  found.  Beside,  if  ye  would  be 
wise,  remember  that  this  dotage  of  yours,  in  obey- 
ing the  laws  of  your  country,  is  a  great  affront  to 
the  legislature.  Are  the  laws  greater  than  the  law- 
makers 1  Is  it  not  plain  that  if  you  respect  them 
for  the  sake  of  these,  these  are  themselves  worthy 
of  much  more  respect !  That  on  account  of  which 
any  thing  is  such,  the  thing  itself  is  more  such.  If 
therefore  you  respect  the  laws,  for  the  sake  of  the 
legislature,  how  plain  is  it  that  you  are  continually 
offending  the  legislature  by  such  astonishing  reve- 
rence for  the  laws !  But  we  have  risen  above  all 
these  vulgar  influences.  Our  minds  are  all  full  of 
the  light  of  patriotism,  and  so  we  can  do  just  as 
we  please.    But  because  our  patriotism  is  all  one 

39 


306 


with  that  of  the  legislature  itself,  it  is  quite  a  thing 
impossible  that  we  should  ever  transgress  the  pro- 
visions of  the  statute-book.^"  We  do  not  however 
submit  our  doctrines  or  our  actions  to  be  judged  by 
that  material  volume  ;  especially,  because  who  are 
the  judges'?  none  but  our  doating  countrymen! 
But  they  are  not  proper  judges ;  and  never  can  be, 
till  their  minds  become  enlightened  with  our  doc- 
trine ;  and  then  they  will  think  just  as  we  do. 
Beside,  the  statute-book  is  a  very  mysterious  com- 
position. There  is  no  possibility  of  knowing  what 
it  means,  without  our  superhuman  illumination, 
even  if  one  sincerely  desired  nothing  so  much. 
The  legislature  contrived  it  on  purpose  that  it 
might  not  be  understood  by  common  patriots.  But 
as  soon  as  you  become  sublimed  by  our  instruc- 
tions, fellow  citizens,  (for  whom  our  bowels  yearn 
with  tenderness  and  universal  love — just  like  that 
in  the  legislature,)  by  simply  "  attending  to  "  the 
light  of  patriotism  in  the  secret  of  every  heart,  (as  it 
is  there  made  plain  to  the  suckling  and  the  fool,) 
you  will  come  to  know  all  the  mysteries  of  political 
science,  state  polity,  legislation,  jurisprudence,  and 
law  practice  ;  yea,  you  can  teach  others  also,  and  that 
without  all  learning  and  skill  in  the  statute-book. 
You  will  come  to  discern  the  vanity  of  all  legal  forms 
and  phrases,  which  the  statute-book  doth  indeed 
appear  to  you  to  require,  but  which  we  see  clearly 
to  be  cumbrous,  expensive,  and  non-essential.  Then 
indeed  you  will  not  be  fleeced  by  the  lawyers,  and 
doctors,  and  judges.  You  will  utterly  retrench  all 
these  '  hireling'  orders.  You  will  see  the  non-neces- 


307 


sity  of  all  such  learned  officers,  and  a  thousand 
others,  which  our  countrymen  have  continued  to 
revere  only  because  they  have  never  known  the 
liberty  of  true  patriotism ;  in  which  women  are  as 
wise  as  men  in  the  anointing,  and  just  as  capable  of 
lecturing  on  patriotism  and  instructing  large  con- 
gregations— while  others  are  misled  to  believe  in 
the  paramount  authority  of  the  statute-book."  In 
such  a  case  of  political  radicalism  as  this,  every 
real  patriot  would  know  how  to  dispose  of  it.  He 
would  see  the  hypocrisy  of  the  argument,  even  if 
he  believed  the  sincerity  of  its  venders.  The  main- 
tenance of  the  civil  state  would  be  impossible  upon 
their  reforming  principles.  He  would  view  their 
doctrine  as  an  abscess  forming  near  the  heart  of 
the  body  politic  ;  and  though  the  million  might  be 
taken  with  it,  though  they  might  praise  the  good- 
ness and  fair  appearance  of  its  apostles,  masculine 
and  feminine,  and  even  mistake  them  for  "  angels 
of  light,"  the  men  whom  thought  distinguishes,  and 
evidence  affects,  and  principle  controls,  would  think 
it  patriotism  to  expose  the  fallacy  of  their  scheme, 
and  denounce  the  innovation  as  ruinous  to  the 
commonwealth.    And  what  is  time  to — eternity  ? 

In  particular,  it  is  manifest  that  the  poor  statute- 
book  would  soon  become  the  victim  of  their  ascen- 
dant argument.  They  would  think  it,  to  say  the 
least,  superfluous.  A  quotation  from  its  pages,  in 
opposition  to  their  views,  would  be  like  a  straw  on 
the  case  of  the  crocodile.  They  would  ride  in  their 
imaginations,  especially  if  they  were  sincere,  over 
the  heads  of  the  disparaged  community.  Fanati- 


308 

cism,  sublimed  and  ethereous,  would  make  a  foot- 
ball of  civic  virtue  ! 

Such  is  the  practical  tendency  and  the  actual  re- 
sult of  the  light  within.  The  Quakers  treat  the 
Bible  as  at  best  a  very  subordinate  help.  Many 
of  them  openly  defame  it.  One  very  celebrated 
preacher  has  publicly  and  often  said  that  mankind 
had  been  better  without  the  Bible.  And  why  is 
he  not  correct,  if  all  men  have  a  portion  of  the 
Spirit  within  tliem  superior  to  it,  by  simply  attend- 
ing to  whose  monitions  they  practice  righteousness 
and  attain  salvation  1  I  am  aware  of  the  double 
(not  hidden)  character  in  which  I  appear  before  the 
christian  public  :  a  witness  as  well  as  a  disputant. 
But  how  could  I  be  a  mere  disputant ;  since  it  was 
what  I  had  witnessed,  and  what  I  renounced,  on 
my  knees  with  the  Bible  open,  as  an  act  of  worship 
to  "  the  only  wise  God,"  and  what  I  have  with 
much  anguish  and  many  tears  experienced  as  the 
consequence  of  my  education  and  relationships, 
that  brought  me  thus  publicly  to  dispute  at  all  1  As  a 
witness,  aware  of  my  accountability  to  the  Searcher 
of  hearts,  "  whose  eyes  are  upon  the  truth,"  I  shall 
at  least  make  no  intentional  misrepresentation.  No 
oath  could  add  to  the  solemnity  which  invests  the 
obligation  of  veracity  in  my  convictions.  But  if  it 
might,  "  I  call  God  for  a  record  upon  my  soul " 
that  I  will  not  intentionally  misstate  any  thing.  I 
however  state  that  I  have  witnessed  from  their 
preachers  and  their  people,  times  without  number, 
sentiments,  inuendos,  implications,  and  significant 
actions,  the  whole  scope  of  which  was  directly  to 


309 


degrade  the  Bible ;  and  it  is  my  full  conviction  that 
this  is  the  very  genius  of  their  scheme,  its  native 
and  necessary  tendency. 

There  is  an  argument  of  Barclay,  which  I  will 
now  consider.  As  its  topic  is  fundamental,  so  its 
speciousness  is  seraphic.  It  is  in  substance  this : — 
time  was  when  to  he  led  hy  the  Spirit  of  God  was 
thought  to  define  the  children  of  God ;  but  in  our 
age  the  same  characteristic  becomes  a  reproach,  and 
even  an  impeachment  of  christian  piety.  As  he 
uses  scripture  to  sustain  his  position,  he  always 
assumes  the  very  point  to  be  proved.  No  christian 
will  deny  that  to  be  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
essentially  indicative  of  a  true  christian.  Here  then 
we  are  agreed.  The  only  question  respects  the 
manner  in  which  they  are  led !  Of  this  Barclay 
makes  no  question  at  all ;  but  just  assumes,  as  suits 
him,  that  it  is  in  the  very  way  alone  of  Friends ! 

He  refers  here  to  that  memorable  saying  of  Paul, 
Rom.  8  :  14.  "  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God."  His 
reasoning  in  the  connexion  is  very  convincing,  to 
those  that  follow  the  inward  light,  and  who  count 
it  worldly  logic  to  "  prove  all  things  and  hold  fast 
that  which  is  good."    But  we  will  hear  Barclay. 

"Of  old  none  were  ever  judged  christians,  but 
such  as  had  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  Rcftn.  8:9.  But 
now  many  do  boldly  call  themselves  Christians, 
who  make  no  difficulty  of  confessing  they  are  with- 
out it,  and  laugh  at  such  as  say  they  have  it.  Of 
old  they  were  accounted  the  sons  of  God,  who  were 
led  by  the  Spirit  of  God.    But  how  many  aver 


310 


themselves  sons  of  God,  who  know  nothing  of  this 
leader;  and  he  that  affirms  himself  so  led,  is,  by 
the  pretended  orthodox  of  this  age,  presently  pro- 
claimed an  heretic.    The  reason  hereof  is  very 
manifest,  viz.    Because  many  in  these  days,  under 
the  name  of  christians,  do  experimentally  find,  that 
they  are  not  actuated  nor  led  by  God's  Spirit ;  yea, 
many  great  doctors,  divines,  teachers  and  bishops  of 
Christianity,  (commonly  so  called,)  have  wholly  shut 
their  ears  from  hearing,  and  their  eyes  from  seeing, 
this  inward  guide,  and  so  are  become  strangers 
unto  it ;  whence  they  are,  by  their  own  experience, 
brought  to  this  strait,  either  to  confess  that  they 
are  as  yet  ignorant  of  God,  and  have  only  the  sha- 
dow of  knowledge,  and  not  the  true  knowledge  of  him, 
or  that  this  knowledge  is  acquired  without  imme- 
diate revelation."    And  this  is  indispensable  to — 
piety  !    What  inspired  extravagance  !    A  Friend 
may  speak  and  write  what  he  pleases.    The  above 
is  a  specimen  of  Barclay's  inspiration  and  of  his 
charitableness !   If  his  reasoning  be  correct,  then  I 
see  not  that  one  soul  of  us  can  be  saved  that  deli- 
berately differs  with  him  in  the  matter  of  the  in- 
ward  light !    We  are  not  christians,  it  seems  ;  we 
are     pretended''''  orthodox,  ignorant  of  God,  not 
sons  of  God,  but  graceless  persons,  whether  doc- 
tors, bishops  or  what  not  \    Let  no  man  say  that  I 
lay  too  much  stress  on  this  controversy.    A  chris- 
tian may  well  aver  that  a  more  ruinous  heresy  to 
the  souls  of  men  could  scarcely  be  invented,  by  the 
great  sire  of  heresy,  than  Quakerism !    The  dif- 
ference between  it  and  Christianity  is  so  great,  so 


311 


glaring,  and  yet  so  relatively  concealed,  that  we 
must  take  the  stand  of  martyrs,  denouncing  and 
abhorring  it,  and  that  practically  reckless  of  good 
or  evil  report  as  the  result.  Those  who  see  the 
difference  are  specially  bound  to  be  bold  in  con- 
fessing it ;  for  the  million  see  nothing  but  "  an  an- 
gel of  light." 

I  make  a  corollary  here  of  moment — Friends 
mistake  the  nature  and  design  of  all  inspiration  ; 
especially  in  viewing  it  as  having  for  its  direct  ob- 
ject to  inspire  our  actions !  Now,  we  know  that  the 
actions  of  the  apostles  were,  many  of  them,  as 
men,  defective,  fallible,  wrong ; — of  course,  not 
inspired.  They  were  to  be  honored  as  inspired 
only  when  orally  or  scripturally  they  propounded 
the  truth  for  our  knowledge  and  government.  In- 
spired actions  make — inspired  irresjjonsihleness, 
which  is  the  character  of  Quaker  inspiration. 
Hence,  a  preaching  Friend  is  always  right ;  walks 
in  innocency  and  truth  alone  ;  has  nothing  to  con- 
fess— except  that  God  led  and  inspired  all  his  ac- 
tions ;  and  thus  morally  identifies  his  agency  with 
the  divine  agency,  and  finds  marvellous  peace  in 
confessing  no  sin,  having  no  gratuitous  justifica- 
tion, knowing  nothing  of  the  way  of  salvation 
through  the  death  of  Christ,  and  preaching,  "  ano- 
ther gospel,"  totally  and  terribly  another,  all  by  in- 
spiration ! 

Barclay  in  order  to  avail  his  argument,  ought  to 
have  shown  that  there  was  only  one  conceivable 
way  of  being  led  by  the  Spirit,  and  that  it  was  the 
identical  way  of  Friends !  he  ought  to  have  shown 


312 


that  the  Spirit  does  not  lead  "  the  sons  of  God " 
by  means  of  his  own  word;  or,  that  those  who 
follow  him  in  his  recorded  truth,  are  recreant  to  his 
authority,  and  do  not  follow  him  at  all !  he  ought  to 
have  shown  that  Luther,  and  the  noble  colleagues 
of  the  Reformation,  were  not  "  sons  of  God,"  be- 
cause they  were  led  by  the  Spirit  only  through  the 
word  of  God;  and  that  they  had  the  darkness  to 
follow  Christ  in  the  matter  of  styling  the  scriptures 
"  the  word  of  God."  He  ought  to  have  shown  that 
the  scriptures  tell  men  to  go  away  from  their  pages 
to  find  their  author ;  and  that  it  is  not  through  the 
instrumentality  of  truth  revealed  in  scripture  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  illumines,  sanctifies,  consoles,  and 
perfects,  the  elect  of  God.  Jesus  Christ  not  only 
resolved  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews  into  their  prior 
disbelief  of  the  scriptures  ;  but  he  denounces  them 
as  hypocrites,  because  they  lightly  esteemed  or  dis- 
believed "  the  word  of  God."  Compare  John,  5  :  46, 
47,  with  8  :  47.  "  For  had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye 
would  have  believed  me  ;  for  he  wrote  of  me.  But  if 
ye  believe  not  his  writings,  how  shall  ye  believe  my 
words  \  He  that  is  of  God,  heareth  God's  words ; 
ye  therefore  hear  them  not,  because  ye  are  not  of 
God."  Beside,  the  promise  of  salvation  is  made 
to  him  that  helieveth  the  gospel;  while  christians 
are  said  to  be  "  born  of  the  word  "  and  "  begotten 
of  his  own  will  with  the  word  of  truth."  To  this 
we  may  subjoin,  "  for  as  many  as  are  led  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God." 

I  here  ask  the  reader  to  pause  and  consider  the 
execrableness  of  the  grand  position  of  Friends, 


313 


who  profess  to  walk  hy  the  Holy  Ghost !  by  him  as 
A  RULE  ;  hy  him  immediately,  and  not  hy  his  icrit- 
ten  instructions  !  hy  him,  as  "  a  more  nohle "  and 
principal  rule  in  religion  !  What  is  this  but  the 
darkness  and  impiety  of  making  God  himself  a 
rule  of  action,  and  that  for  all  men ;  their  su- 
perlative rule,  hy  icJiich  it  is  in  the  highest  degree 
SPIRITUAL  to  icalk  in  all  things!  They  walk  hy 
the  greater  indeed  !  I  have  no  words  in  which  to 
express  my  horror  at  the  sin  and  folly  of  the  senti- 
ment !  Satan  has  discovered  "  a  more  excellent 
way,"  in  these  latter  ages,  of sitting  in  the  temple 
of  God  and  showing  himself  that  he  is  God,"  since 
Luther  identified  him  in  the  pontificate  and  un- 
masked him  to  the  world  !  His  malignant  majesty 
has  always  manifested  a  characteristic  superiority 
to  the  word  of  God,  since  first  he  disparaged  it  to 
the  mother  of  mankind,  and  ''deceived''^  her  with 
the  incantation  of  his  argument.  He  exhibited  the 
same  cast  of  character  on  the  throne  of  the  pa- 
pacy :  and  now  among  fanatical  protestants  of  all 
sorts,  Quakers,  Shakers,  Mormonites,  and  what 
not,  who  desert  "  the  law  and  the  testimony  "  be- 
cause "  there  is  no  light  in  them,"  he  affects  a 
gifted  internal  autopsy  in  religion,  which,  being 
superior  to  the  Bible,  renders  it  superfluous.  This 
is  one  of  his  rare  "  devices  !"  To  get  rid  of  the 
law,  he  pretends  to  walk  by  the  lawgiver !  To 
supersede  the  word  of  God,  he  makes  God  himself 
a  rule  of  action !  This  truly  is  (we  hope)  one  of 
his  last  and  rarest  inventions  : — it  may  also  safely 
be  pronounced  one  of  his  worst !    He  knows  its 

40 


314 


million-catching  speciousness,  and  has  proved  its 
value  in  his  modern  policy.  He  will  retain  it  as 
long  as  he  can  !  It  is  however  nothing  but  his  most 
holy-looking  device  to  prop  a  falling  cause,  and 
elude  his  tremendous  enemy,  the  word  of  God. 
"  Get  thee  hence,  Satan  ;  for  it  is  written,  it  is 
WRITTEN,  IT  IS  WRITTEN,"  (thricc,  said  Jesus,) 
"  thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord,  thy  God,  and  him 
only  shalt  thou  serve  ! — thou  shalt  not  tempt  the 
Lord,  thy  God ! — man  shall  not  live  by  bread 
alone,  but  hy  every  icord  that  proceedeth  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God .'"  This  is  the  noblest  life  and  the 
noblest  food ! 

It  is  the  unique  and  pervading  and  master  policy 
of  hell,  and  has  been  from  the  beginning,  to  put 
an  extinguisher  on  the  light  of  revelation  ;  to  va- 
cate the  holy  scripture  ;  to  neutralise  the  word  of 
God.  To  accomplish  this  is  the  central  object ; 
no  matter  by  what  means,  if  they  will  only  reach  it. 
The  means  are  variable  ;  the  generalship  astonish- 
ing ;  the  resources  and  expedients  endless.  Su- 
persede the  voice  of  the  authentic  "oracles  of 
God,"  and  Satan  can  reign  in  state  and  safety. 
The  atmosphere  of  night  favors  his  domain.  The 
most  specious  means  are  often  the  most  apposite 
and  the  least  suspected.  Those  which  throw  a  ver- 
bal compliment  on  the  Bible,  and  seem  to  reve- 
rence in  order  the  more  certainly  to  destroy  its 
authority,  are  quite  eligible.  And  what  delusion 
equal  to  the  spell  of  Quakerism  to  effectuate  this 
end  I  "  And  Joab  said  to  Amasa,  Art  thou  in 
health,  my  brother  I   And  Joab  took  Amasa  by  the 


315 


beard  with  the  right  hand  to  kiss  him.  But  Amasa 
took  no  heed  to  the  sword  that  was  in  Joab's  hand  : 
so  he  smote  him  therewith  in  the  fifth  rib,  and  shed 
out  his  bowels  to  the  ground,  and  struck  him  not 
again  ;  and  he  died."  A  left-handed  trick  !  Many- 
such  sinister  friendships  have  the  foes  of  truth 
evinced  for  it.  So  dies  the  Bible  with  the  kisses  of 
Friends.  In  this  country  they  are  at  this  day 
mainly — I  fear — a  community  of  infidels — only 
they  would  have  us  think  that  they  love  Christianity. 

The  only  way  in  which  Friends  can  elude,  with 
any  show  of  consistency,  the  force  of  this  infer- 
ence— that  their  superior  law  is  the  lawgiver  him- 
self, is  to  deny  at  once  honestly  that  they  are  trini- 
tarians,  and  to  deny  consequently  that  the  "  Spirit 
is  God."  Otherwise — God  is  their  paramount  rule 
of  action  !  There  is  no  possible  escape.  I  consider 
this  dilemma  as  fair  and  as  conclusive  as  that  to 
which  Jesus  Christ  reduced  the  Sadducees,  when 
they  meanly  said,  "  We  cannot  tell ;"  evading  the 
premises  because  they  dreaded  the  conclusion.  It 
is  this  :  either  the  Spirit,  in  their  creed,  is  not  God, 
is  a  mere  impersonal  influence  or  quality — and 
then  they  deny  the  trinity,  deny  their  own  admis- 
sions and  averments,  deny  their  'orthodox'  preten- 
sions, deny  every  thing  but  Sabellian  or  Socinian 
heresy  :  or,  their  cardinal  principle  is  one  with  the 
impious  absurdity  of  making  God  himself  a  rule  of 
action,  "  the  saints'  rule,"  the  highest  rule,  and  so 
forth !  and  hence,  the  only  way  that  even  they  can 
invent,  to  detrude  the  scriptures  from  their  divine 
supremacy  or  to  show  a  superior  rule,  is  to  make 


316 


their  eternal  Author — a  rule  !  Let  any  man  of  sense 
and  principle,  who  prefers  not  to  swing,  gored 
through  life,  and  "  his  offspring  with  him,"  on 
either  horn  of  this  bellowing  monster,  deny  him, 
and  take  the  word  of  God  as  his  highest  rule  in 
religion,  in  this  world  and  in  that  which  is  to 
come  !  The  absurdity  of  the  soul  of  the  system, 
the  putrid  quality  of  its  very  heart,  is  such — but  I 
leave  the  reader,  who  can,  to  think  that  it  is  not 
among  impious  absurdities  and  destructive  errors 
the  most  confounding  and  confounded  ! 

Monstrum  horrendum  !  informe,  ingens,  ciii  lumen  ademptum. 

ViRC. 

A  monster  tremendous — misshapen — forlorn — 
Whose  fiction  of  light  is  the  challenge  of  scorn  ! 

III.  The  fact  that  all  the  real  knowledge  and 
intelligible  preaching  of  Friends  are  derived  from 
the  scriptures,  demonstrates  the  non-entity  of  their 
inward  light. 

The  thirty-nine  books  of  the  Old  Testament  had 
all  been  extant  for  nearly  five,  and  some  of  them 
for  nearly  fifteen  centuries,  before  the  apostolic 
age.  They  had  been  translated  into  the  Greek 
language  for  three  centuries.  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles often  quoted  them,  and  always  in  a  style  of 
commendation.  "  The  scripture  cannot  be  broken," 
said  Christ.  He  also  said,  "  think  not  that  I  am 
come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets ;  I  am  not 
come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil.  For  verily  I  say  unto 
you.  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  one 


317 


tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be 
fulfilled."   The  evangelists  and  apostles  followed 
the  example  of  Christ.    They  ever  revered  and 
confirmed  the  writings  of  their  inspired  predeces- 
sors.   They  reasoned  from  the  sayings  of  scripture 
as  philosophers  reason  from  facts,  and  mathemati- 
cians from  axioms  or  propositions  already  demon- 
strated.   "What  saith  the  scripture  1  the  scripture 
saith ;  for  it  is  written ;  as  saith  the  prophet ;"  were 
their  accustomed  forms  of  reference,  quotation,  and 
proof.    This  is  manly  and  even  sublime.    It  shows 
that  all  the  long  succession  of  inspired  men,  from 
Enoch  to  the  apocalyptic  angel,  who  said  to  John, 
"  I  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  the 
prophets,"  all  the  series  of  so  many  centuries  and 
millenaries  of  time,  were  raised  up,  commissioned, 
and  inspired,  by  the  eternal  and  immutable  God. 
It  shows  that  they  had  a  common  cause  with  each 
other  and  with  God ;  it  shows  "  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit  and  the  bond  of  peace." 

But  beside  this  common  agreement  in  doctrine 
and  subserviency  in  object,  these  two  characteristic 
qualities  of  genuine  inspiration  are  manifest  in  each 
individual  writer  ;  (1)  Each  writer  is  perfectly  in- 
dependent of  the  others.  Being  equally  inspired, 
he  could  deliver  his  message  for  the  substance  of 
it,  if  none  other  had  preceded,  if  none  other  had 
existed.  He  quotes  the  others  indeed,  and  so 
evinces  their  common  unity ;  for  the  cause  requires 
it.  But  this  he  does  comparatively  seldom,  and 
then  obviously  more  for  others  than  himself.  His 
own  resources  in  God  are  just  as  ample,  compared 


318 


with  his  official  exigences,  as  were  those  of  the 
first  writer.  No  man  can  think  concerning  one  of 
the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  that  all  his  real 
knowledge  and  intelligible  doctrine  are  servilely 
owing  to  his  acquaintance  with  the  writers  of  the 
Old  Testament.  If  this  were  the  case,  his  assumed 
inspiration  would  be  suspected  or  incredible.  The 
other  characteristic  is  (2)  That  in  the  writers  of 
the  New  Testament  there  is  a  plain  moral  equa- 
lity IN  style  and  efficacy — to  say  the  least  of 
them — in  those  passages  which  are  not  quoted,  and 
which  are  largely  more  abundant,  compared  with 
those  which  are  quoted  from  the  prophets  of  a  pre- 
ceding dispensation.  All  proof  of  this  is  deemed 
superfluous ;  otherwise  we  could  refer  to  the  whole 
of  the  New  Testament. 

If  this  be  true  of  the  New  Testament  writers, 
why  may  we  not  expect  the  same  in  their  inspired 
successors  and  equals  of  the  Society  of  Friends  \ 
Proper  inspiration  undoubtedly  equalizes  for  the 
time  all  its  genuine  subjects.  Where  all  is  truth  that 
is  spoken  or  written,  we  cannot  say  that  what  one 
uttered  is  more  true  than  what  another  uttered  by 
the  same  authority.  Consequently  the  oracles  of 
the  Quakers  are  the  oracles  of  God — or,  those  of 
the  apostles  are  not — or,  the  inspiration  of  the 
Quakers  is  a  miserable  delusion. 

But  is  it  a  delusion  \  If  it  have  the  two  charac- 
teristics above  considered,  we  should  be  slow  to 
conclude  against  its  claims.  Has  it  then  those 
characteristics  X  Is  each  inspired  preacher,  inde- 
pendent, in  the  sense  explained,  of  his  inspired 


319 


predecessors  of  the  Bible  I  And  is  there  equal 
excellence  of  style  and  strength  in  what  they  speak 
at  large,  in  distinction  from  what  they  quote  from 
the  scriptures  1  Would  their  sermons  make  another 
Bible,  if  they  were  only  collected  and  printed  and 
bound  in  one  book,  beginning  with  Fox  and  pro- 
ceeding onward  to  living  prophets  and  prophet- 
esses I  Why  not  1  Is  not  God  as  able  to  inspire 
ignorant  persons  now  as  he  was  aforetime  1  What 
a  loss  to  mankind,  that  so  much  inspiration  is  not 
rescued  from  oblivion  by  the  labors  of  stenography 
and  stereotyped  for  the  benefit  of  all  coming  ages ! 
O  Mill,  Kennicott,  and  De  Rossi,  what  a  loss! 

We  must  press  the  question.  Are  Friends  in- 
debted to  inspiration  or  to  the  scriptures  for  all 
they  know  or  intelligibly  preach  in  religion  1  Would 
the  inward  light  have  told  them  of  the  person,  mis- 
sion, name,  and  glory,  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  of  a 
thousand  other  topics  of  truth,  if  the  light  of  scrip- 
ture had  never  directly  or  indirectly  shone  upon 
themi  If,  for  the  knowledge  of  these  things,  as 
far  as  they  possess  it,  they  are  wholly  indebted  to 
scriptural  revelation,  in  common  with  all  their  co- 
temporaries,  how  almost  impious  the  delusion  or 
the  disingenuousness  which  affects  to  derive  it 
independently  of  the  written  oracles !  whether  they 
know  it  or  not,  their  pretension  is  a  monstrous  fal- 
lacy! If  they  know  it  not,  their  ignorance  is  cri- 
minal and  they  have  no  right  to  be  deceived.  They 
have  amply  the  means  of  knowledge ;  and  God 
will  call  them  to  a  solemn  account.  "  They  have 
Moses  and  the  prophets;"  they  have  Christ  and 


320 


the  apostles.  "  Let  them  hear  them."  Otherwise 
"  neither  would  they  be  persuaded  though  one  rose 
from  the  dead."  And  when  they  descend  to  the 
dead  or  rise  in  judgment,  they  will  find, their  sins 
and  their  excuses  classed  together,  in  the  indict- 
ment of  eternal  righteousness  against  them. 

There  is  a  great  variety  in  the  style  and  copi- 
ousness of  their  preaching.  Some  of  their  preachers 
do  not  deliver  twelve  public  speeches  in  as  many 
months ;  and  all  of  them  together  would  not  oc- 
cupy an  hour  in  the  delivery.  These  perhaps  never, 
or  very  seldom,  make  a  scriptural  quotation.  Some- 
times the  recital  of  a  passage  constitutes  the  whole 
sermon.  Some  preachers  are  long  to  unendurable ; 
and  their  elders  have  the  office  of  advising  them  to 
a  curtailment  of  their  inspirations.  They  are  all  as 
various  in  the  manner  of  making  formal  quotations, 
as  they  are  in  the  time  they  occupy  in  preaching. 
In  general,  they  are  loose  and  indefinite  in  the 
citation  of  passages.  They  very  often  quote  ichat 
is  not  there,  because  so  said  the  light  within  at  the 
time.  One  of  their  then  most  eminent  preachers, 
on  one  occasion,  in  formally  arguing  with  the 
writer,  quoted  a  passage  improperly.  This  was  in- 
stantly remarked  and  the  Bible  produced.  The 
passage  was  read  in  its  connection  (1  Cor.  12  ;  7,  to 
be  considered  hereafter)  before  the  company  of 
Friends,  which  w^as  large.  The  effect  was  power- 
ful. The  preacher,  "  as  he  needs  must,"  admitted 
his  error.  He  was  admonished  to  beware  of  de- 
pending upon  misquotation  for  his  arguments  and 
upon  the  light  within  for  his  quotations.    As  he 


321 


quoted  the  passage,  it  suited  his  purpose ;  and  so 
have  I  heard  it  quoted  in  their  solemn  public  in- 
spirations, and  that  very  frequently  ;  they  quote  it 
so,  I  ween,  every  month  in  the  year,  and  found 
their  argument  on  the  mistake.  But,  as  the  passage 
is  written  in  the  text,  and  especially  as  the  con- 
nection ascertains  its  meaning,  it  affords  them  no  . 
assistance.  The  crown  of  the  matter  was  that  a 
year  or  more  afterward,  and  in  company  with  that 
very  same  preacher,  a  professional  gentleman  and 
one  who  claims  some  scholarship  in  the  Latin, 
Greek,  and  Hebrew  languages,  himself  quoted  that 
very  passage  in  his  old  way  to  establish  his  old 
doctrine  of  the  universality  of  inward  light.  I  re- 
minded him  of  the  circumstance ;  remarked  on  the 
power  of  habit  and  the  love  of  theory ;  and  then 
abandoned  this  inspired  quoter  of  scripture  as  an 
incorrigible  victim  of  the  inward  light.  He  has 
since,  however,  abandoned  his  Quakerism  for  the 
allied  mysticism  of  the  system  of  correspondences. 
This  is  one  of  a  thousand  specimens  that  might  be 
afforded. 

One  thing  is  remarkable  : — the  tenacity  and  bold- 
ness of  Friends  in  quoting  scripture,  when  they  see 
clearly  that  the  passage  helps  their  doctrine.  It 
seems  probable  that  if  the  Bible  was  found  seem- 
ingly to  favor  their  views  one  tenth  part  as  much 
as  it  contradicts  them,  they  would  soon  adopt  it  as 
their  paramount  rule  in  religion.  In  this  they  re- 
semble other  enemies  and  corrupters  of  the  truth; 
who  deal  in  excerpts  and  detached  phrases,  instead 
of  studying  and  loving  the  whole  connection  ;  in- 

41 


322 


stead  of  believing  and  adopting  the  total  volume  : 
who  array  one  part  against  others,  a  few  parts 
against  many,  and  individual  expressions  against 
the  universal  scope  of  the  word  of  God  ;  as  if  it 
were  not  all  one  thing — all  equally  divine — all 
equally  evidenced  to  be  "  given  by  inspiration  of 
'  God." 

I  will  add,  that  it  has  often  been  sarcastically  re- 
marked by  some  of  their  own  people,  that  their 
preachers  are  too  much  indebted  to  the  phraseology 
of  the  Bible  to  be  supposed  themselves  inspired : 
and  one  very  distinguished  professional  gentleman, 

a  Friend,  in  the  city  of  P  a,  once  affirmed  to  an 

elder  of  the  meeting,  and  in  the  presence  of  many, 
his  own  dubitation  of  their  preachers,  as  follows; 
"  I  have  seen  some  preachers  that  we  call  *  hire- 
lings,' who,  on  acquaintance,  appeared  to  me  to  be 
men  of  great  intelligence  and  spirituality."  His 
audience  seemed  astounded.  "  What!"  exclaimed 
the  elder,  (whose  son  was  a  preacher,)  "  does  thee 
mean  them  that  preach  for  hire  ]"  Answered  the 
other  ;  "  Aye !  and  to  tell  thee  more,  much  that 
comes  regularly  from  our  gallery  is  sheer  non- 
sense." I  can  give  names  and  witnesses,  when 
necessary.  Thus  it  is,  especially  with  the  more  in- 
telligent; many  doubt  and  ridicule  their  inspired 
communications : — many  who  will  be  angry  with 
me  for  thus — in  part — exposing  a  system  of  spiri- 
tual abuse  which  themselves  certainly  know  to  exist 
in  the  midst  of  them. 

IV.  My  next  argument  is  drawn  from  the  con- 
dition and  practice  of  those  nations,  who,  being  des- 


323 


titute  of  the  scripture,  hut  not  ( on  this  theory )  of 
the  inward  light,  have  had  nothing  to  embarrass 
the  growth  of  its  natural  fruits  or  mystify  their 
qualities. 

The  doctrine  of  the  interior  light  was  invented, 
in  my  opinion,  much  on  the  ground  of  its  wonder- 
ful convenience.  And  who  can  deny  the  splendor  . 
and  excellence  of  the  scheme  \  What  a  grand  spi- 
ritual equipment  for  tartars,  hottentots,  and  all  sorts 
of  savages  !  Every  man,  the  world  over,  furnished 
with  a  private  supply,  an  individual  vade  mecum  of 
inspired  illumination,  "  by  attending  to  the  moni- 
tions of  which "  he  has  all  necessary  knowledge, 
and  especially  the  riches  of  salvation  !  What  could 
the  Great  Mogul  desire  or  have  in  all  his  state, 
more  handy  or  important  ? 

The  only  difficulty  of  the  scheme  is  that  it  clashes 
with  all  evidence,  fact,  experience,  and  scripture. 
Like  a  thousand  other  "imaginations"  that  the 
gospel  unceremoniously  "  casts  down,"  there  is  not 
a  particle  of  truth  in  its  composition.  The  mon- 
strous ignorance  of  the  pagan  nations,  their  idola- 
try, polytheism,  cruelty,  pollution,  obscenity,  and 
perverseness,  have  been  recorded  by  their  own  poets, 
orators,  and  historians ;  and  the  scene  has  been 
relieved  by  no  evidence  of  "the  principle"  in  its 
proper  fruits,  which  can  be  read  by  eyes  that  have 
been  anointed  with  "  the  eye-salve  of  Christ."  Men 
think  well  of  themselves,  and  of  others,  when  they 
feel  a  common  cause.  Hence  they  are  very  chari- 
table to  human  nature  in  the  gross :  while  their 
"  tender  mercies  "  to  individuals  in  the  detail  are 


324 


"  cruel."  Just  the  reverse  is  true  of  those  who  think 
of  human  nature  that  it  is  as  had  as  the  Supreme 
Inspector  testifies. 

In  proof  of  the  real  character  of  the  nations,  to 
whom  the  light  of  the  gospel  has  not  shone,  as  a 
tremendous  but  certain  matter  of  fact — not  half  so 
convenient,  it  may  be,  but  abundantly  more  worthy 
of  confidence  than  the  opposite  theory,  I  shall  ap- 
peal to  scripture  alone.  If  they  have  this  light, 
each  of  them,  we  are  not  to  expect  an  omission  in  , 
the  total  scriptures  respecting  it ;  much  less  the 
attestation  of  the  absolute  contrary.  I  waive  what 
"  certain  of  their  own  poets  have  said  ;"  what  Dr. 
Macknight  has  proved,  from  the  best  heathen  au- 
thorities, of  the  dreadful  moral  degradation  of  the 
very  lights  of  heathenism  themselves,  and  especially 
of  the  immorality  of  Socrates,  that  darling  of  po- 
pular infidelity ;  I  waive  the  assistance  of  facts  nar- 
rated in  the  reports  of  missionaries,  who  were  per- 
sonal observers  and  eye-witnesses  of  the  enormities 
which  they  rehearse  ;  I  waive  the  fact  of  the  current 
testimony  of  the  christian  church,  of  all  denomina- 
tions since  the  Reform.ation,  to  the  darkened  and 
dreadful  condition  of  the  heathen  nations. 

These  sources  of  proof  and  many  others  of 
kindred  character,  I  waive  :  for,  if  the  Bible  is  not 
express  in  omitting  or  contradicting  the  statement 
of  Friends,  I  grant  that  other  proofs  are  insuffi- 
cient or  illusory.  My  first  proof  is  drawn  from  the 
first  chapter  of  Romans,  from  the  fourteenth  verse 
to  the  end : — in  which,  if  there  be  such  a  light  in 
all  men,  as  they  aver,  I  am  sure  that  Paul  was  ig- 


325 


norant  of  it.    He  there  declares  that  he  wishes  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  all  men,  because  they  need  it 
and  because  he  feels  benevolently  indebted  to  them, 
to  communicate,  by  preaching  or  writing,  that  in- 
valuable blessing.     "  I  am  debtor  both  to  the 
Greeks,  and  to  the  Barbarians  ;  both  to  the  wise 
and  to  the  unwise :  so,  as  much  as  in  me  is,  I  am 
ready  to  preach  the  gospel  to  you  that  are  at  Rome 
also.    For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ :  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation 
to  every  one  that  believeth  ;  to  the  Jew  first,  and 
also  to  the  Greek.    For  therein  is  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  revealed  from  faith  to  faith  ;  [or,  the 
righteousness  of  God  by  faith  is  revealed  to  faith ;] 
as  it  is  WRITTEN,  the  just  shall  live  by  faith  ;"  or, 
the  just  by  faith,  shall  live.    I  now  ask,  if  this  \b 
not  all  folly,  or  at  least  a  most  superfluous  office 
of  the  apostle,  on  supposition  of  this  all-sufficient 
universal  inward  light  \  Friends  believe  the  gospel 
and  this  light  to  be  identical !    Why  then  should 
Paul  carry  them  the  gospel,  when  each  one  of  them 
had  it  in  his  own  bosom  \    Will  Friends  say  they 
did  not  know  what  it  was,  and  needed  the  presence 
and  preaching  of  an  apostle  to  give  them  the  infor- 
mation 1    What  kind  of  a  light  then  is  it  1  What 
good  would  the  sun  himself  do  to  the  nations,  if  they 
could  not  see  him  without  the  help  of  lesser  lights, 
as  torches,  lamps,  tapers,  matches,  fireflies,  and 
glow-worms,  to  aid  the  vision  of  a  man  and  teach 
him  where  to  see  the  sunl    And  why  were  not 
forty  thousand  apostles  provided  with  forty  million 
of  evangelists  to  help  them,  in  the  work  of  going 


326 


to  every  man  on  the  globe  and  explaining  to  him 
elaborately  the  important  fact  that  he  had  a  light 
within  "  by  attending  to  "  the  monitions  of  which 
he  should  learn  all  he  wanted  and  acquire  all  he 
needed  for  this  world  and  the  next !  And  what  is 
the  condition  of  the  nations  through  successive 
ages  1  Do  not  the  moderns  need  to  be  told,  as 
well  as  the  ancients,  of  the  existence,  offices,  pro- 
perties, and  relations,  of  this  interior  light :  what 
is  their  condition  then  without  apostolic  monitors 
to  help  them  1  What  is  their  condition,  even  on 
the  Quaker  scheme,  without  preaching  1  But  I 
proceed.  The  apostle  then  evinces  the  horribly 
criminal  condition  of  the  whole  heathen  world. 
He  says  that  the  light  of  nature,  teaching  what  they 
never  learn,  "  that  which  may  be  known  of  God  " 
from  his  works,  condemns  them  as  sinners  and 
leaves  them  "without  excuse."  He  says;  "Pro- 
fessing themselves  to  be  wise,"  i.  e.  to  have  an 
inward  light  of  their  own,  "  they  became  fools  ;  and 
changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into  an 
image  made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to  birds, 
and  four-footed  beasts,  and  creeping  things."  Here 
are  some  of  the  rays  of  the  inward  light  of  the 
heathen  nations  ;  some  of  the  precious  fruits  of 
heathenism!  Quadrupeds,  reptiles,  vermin,  did 
they  and  their  very  sages  adore,  instead  of  "  the 
only  wise  God."  They  practised  unnatural  crime, 
he  says ;  and  that  without  remorse,  being  totally 
abandoned  of  the  fear  of  God.  He  ends  the  pic- 
ture with  these  words ;  "  And  even  as  they  did  not 
like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge,  God  gave 


327 


them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do  those  things 
which  are  not  convenient ;  being  filled  with  all  un- 
righteousness," &c.  to  the  end. 

On  the  foregoing  citation  I  remark,  1.  It  con- 
tains a  moral  estimate  of  the  whole  world,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  the  Jeics ;  these  he  subsequently 
characterizes  in  the  next  chapter  :  and  then,  in  the 
third,  asks  the  question,  "  Are  we  better  than 
they  1"  are  the  Jews  essentially  and  by  nature  any 
better  than  the  Gentiles  \  "  No  ;  in  no  wise  ;  for  we 
have  before  proved,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that 
THEY  ARE  ALL  UNDER  SIN."  2.  The  picture,  of  their 
degraded  and  guilty  condition,  is  given  in  the  ar- 
gument, on  purpose  to  evince  their  need  of  having 
the  gospel  preached  to  them.  This  is  obvious.  3. 
The  apostle  intimates  that  all  the  nations  once  had, 
but  voluntarily  forewent  and  forfeited,  the  know- 
ledge of  God.  They  were  all  descended  from 
Noah.  All  his  sons  had  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  God.  But  soon,  hating,  they  corrupted  and 
lost  it.  The  children  imitated  and  appropriated 
the  iniquity  of  their  fathers.  Every  generation  de- 
teriorated. "  Their  posterity  approved  their  say- 
ings." And  what  became  of  their  knowledge  \ 
The  little  grew  less.  The  streams  of  traditionary 
truth  were  more  and  more  vitiated  ;  and  branching 
into  all  directions,  at  last  presented  the  monstrous 
proportions  of  the  common  mythology,  and  the 
abominable  usages  of  universal  paganism.  Thus 
it  was  true,  historically,  individually,  philosophical- 
ly, and  universally,  that  "they  did  not  like  to  retain 
God  in  their  knowledge."  I  remark,  4.  That  there 
is  not  a  word  said  about  the  inward  light  ;  no 


328 


exception  in  favor  of  its  influence  ;  no  crimination 
for  working  its  extinction  ;  no  intimation  that  the 
apostle  knew  of  its  existence  !  5.  There  is  no  ex- 
ception of  individuals.  Pythagoras,  Socrates,  Pla- 
to, Aristotle,  all  the  rare  hghts  of  pagan  antiquity, 
had  then  shone  upon  the  darkness  :  but,  it  was  so 
nnrelieved  by  their  lustre,  that  the  apostle  lacked 
sight  to  see  or  charity  to  acknowledge  or  judgment 
to  appreciate  or  inspiration  to  describe,  the  unhal- 
lowed and  nngenial  radiance.  Whatever  these 
sages  were,  the  gospel,  I  find,  makes  little  account 
of  their  lucubrations  ;  and  I  wish  that  many  chris- 
tian writers,  to  say  nothing  of  Friends,  had  shown 
the  wisdom  and  the  modesty  toward  God  to  leave 
them  peaceably  and  submissively,  where  they  are 
and  where  the  scripture  leaves  them,  in  the  hands 
of  the  Eternal.  I  have  often  remembered  with 
pleasure  an  anecdote  which  I  have  somewhere 
read  and  now  record.  A  party  in  a  stage-coach 
were  once  entertained  per  force  with  the  sponta- 
neous eloquence  of  a  consequential  blood,  who 
chose  to  harangue  them  on  the  foolery  of  the  mis- 
sionary cause.  At  last  he  came  to  the  dreadful 
implication  of  the  system,  that  the  heathen  actu- 
ally need  the  gospel,  and  may  perish  in  their  sins 
if  not  brought  to  repentance  and  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ.  Here  he  vociferated,  railed,  declaimed, 
as  if  noise  must  convince  where  nothing  else  could 
be  commanded — till  he  seemed  exhausted. 

And  tamer  far  for  so  much  fury  shown, 
As  is  the  course  of  rash  and  fiery  men, 
The  rudo  companion  smiled,  as  if  transformed. 

CoWPEIt. 


329 


His  fellow  passengers  bore  it  well,  though  some  of 
them  felt  not  a  little  bored  with  it.  At  length  an 
old  gentleman  in  the  rear,  who  had  sat  mute  and 
unobserved,  interposed,  as  follows :  May  I  ask 
you  a  question,  sir  X  Certainly.  You,  sir,  and  we 
all  are  not  heathen  :  and  worse  will  it  be  for  us  if 
we  are  not  christians.  The  question  is  this — Are 
you  a  true  christian  /  have  you  personally  a  "  good 
hope  through  grace "  of  everlasting  life  \  The 
catechumen  hesitated.  Proceeded  the  catechist — 
Suffer  me  then  to  assure  you  that,  if  you  should 
ever  be  so  happy  as  to  arrive  in  heaven  yourself, 
which  I  pray  you  may,  you  will  find  the  heathen 
all  there  too — or,  a  iierfectly  satisfactory  reason 
for  their  absence ! 

It  is  plain  that  Paul  viewed  the  whole  world  as 
so  wicked  and  lost,  and  the  gospel  as  so  solely 
competent  through  God  to  save,  that  therefore  his 
inspired  benevolence  desired  to  bring  them  the 
outward  light  of  the  gospel,  and  preach  to  them 
"  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ ;"  that  so, 
through  faith  in  the  testimony  and  promise  of  God, 
they  might  be  saved  from  sin  and  from  the  wrath 
to  come.  This  view  is  not  only  devoid  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Friends,  but  wholly  adverse  to  it.  Other- 
wise, why  are  not  Friends  actuated  toward  the 
heathen  world  as  was  Paul  \  Are  they  charac- 
terized in  any  way  by  the  love  of  missions  ? 

My  next  proof  is  contained  in  1  Corinthians, 
chapter  10,  verses  20  and  21.  "But  I  say,  that  the 
things  which  the  nations  sacrifice,  they  sacrifice  to 
devils,  and  not  to  God :  and  I  would  not  that  ye 

42 


330 


should  have  fellowship  with  devils.  Ye  cannot 
drink  the  cup  of  the  Lord,  and  the  cup  of  devils ;  ye 
cannot  be  partakers  of  the  Lord's  table,  and  of  the 
table  of  devils."  The  anti-quaker  phrases  of  "  the 
cup  of  the  Lord,"  and  "  the  Lord's  table,"  shall 
receive  consideration  in  their  place.  It  is  worthy 
of  note  how  Paul's  charity  disposes  of  the  total 
mass  of  pagan  worship  in  these  verses !  It  is  all 
offered  to  devils  and  not  to  God  !  He  makes  no 
exceptions,  no  qualifications,  no  apologies.  How 
plain  that  either  Paul  was  destitute  of  inspiration 
or  that  the  nations  (and  I  have  substituted  the 
word  nations  for  gentiles,  as  a  better  translation  of 
the  original)  are  in  league  with  the  Devil  and  his 
legions — and  that  their  very  worship  breathes  of 
hell!  Now  wiiere  is  the  itiward  light?  But — not 
to  press  this  question :  admit  that  it  exists — it  is 
manifestly  inefficacious.  What  good  does  it  ac- 
complish 1  who  is  purified  or  enlightened  or  saved 
by  it  1  It  might  as  well  not  be,  since  it  leaves  the 
very  religion  of  its  subjects  in  the  service  of  the 
Devil !  Yet,  O  ye  immortal  souls,  to  whom  Friends 
preach,  they  preach  not  the  gospel  to  you !  They 
recommend  you  to  the  pagan  darkness  of  the  in- 
ward light,  and  turn  you  away  from  "  the  marvel- 
lous light"  of  "the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed 
God !"  Let  those  of  you  who  have  no  souls  or 
(what  is  worse)  no  consciences — practically  none, 
continue  the  blind  followers  of  the  blind.  Those 
whose  eyes  are  open  see  "  the  ditch  "  into  which 
ye  will  all  soon  fall  together.  And  O  ye  "  forgers 
of  lies,  ye  are  all  physicians  of  no  value.    O  that 


331 


ye  would  altogether  hold  your  peace  ;  and  it  should 
be  your  wisdom."  The  blood  of  souls  will  be  found 
in  your  skirts,  and  that  by  thousands.  You  are 
not  aware  exactly  of  your  heavy  responsibility  to 
God.  He  has  condemned  those  rash  and  ignorant 
pretenders  to  a  call  from  him,  who  preach  "  ano- 
ther "  and  an  unknown  gospel,  "  understanding 
neither  what  they  say,  nor  whereof  they  affirm." 
I  would  recommend  to  you  a  rational  and  prayerful 
perusal  of  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  Jeremiah. 

Another  argument  is  drawn  from  the  recognised 
former  condition  of  those  saints  to  whom  the  apos- 
tolical epistles  were  written.  Says  Paul  to  the 
Corinthians  ;  "  Ye  know  that  ye  were  gentiles,  car- 
ried away  unto  these  dumb  idols,  even  as  ye  were 
led."  He  says  to  the  Galatians  ;  "  This  only  would 
I  learn  of  you,  received  ye  the  Spirit  by  the  works 
of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith  V  The 
Quaker  answer  properly  is ;  "  O  foolish  Paul !  be 
ashamed  of  thy  ignorance.  We  receive  the  Spirit 
neither  by  the  one  nor  the  other.  Every  man  by 
nature,  whether  heathen,  jew,  or  christian,  receives 
a  portion  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  without  which  God 
could  not  be  just,  nor  man  accountable.  Dost  thou 
think  that  God  could  not  save  his  creatures  without 
the  preaching  of  thee  or  any  other  man?  We  have 
nobler  and  more  honorable  views  of  the  universal 
Father."  Plainly  Paul  thought  that  saints  receive 
the  Spirit  "  by  the  hearing  of  faith."  With  the 
fact  alone  am  I  concerned.  Other  matters  I  leave 
to  Friends.  What  then  was  their  condition  before 
they  enjoyed  "the  hearing  of  faith  1"    Had  they 


332 


"the  Spirit"  thenT  He  reminds  the  Ephesians 
of  their  previous  state  in  these  words ;  "  that  at 
that  time  ye  were  without  Christ,  being  aliens  from 
the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers  from 
the  covenants  of  promise,  having  no  hope,  and 
without  God  in  the  world."  How  could  all  this  be, 
on  the  Quaker  theory  l  In  the  same  letter,  he 
says ;  "  This  I  say  therefore,  and  testify  in  the 
Lord,  that  ye  henceforth  walk  not  as  other  gen- 
tiles WALK,  IN  THE  VANITY  OF  THEIR  MIND,  having 

the  understanding  darkened,  being  alienated  from 
the  life  of  God  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in 
them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  heart. 
Who  being  past  feeling,  have  given  themselves 
over  unto  lasciviousness,  to  work  all  uncleanness 
with  greediness."  He  says  to  the  Thessalonians ; 
"  Ye  turned  to  God  from  idols,  to  serve  the  living 
and  true  God."  Says  the  beloved  John,  on  the 
behalf  of  the  church,  his  brethren  ;  "  And  we  know 
that  we  are  of  God ;  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in 
wickedness."  A  thousand  other  testimonies  could 
be  added ;  but  it  is  useless.  Where  are  the  fruits 
of  the  light  universal?  Did  the  apostles  know? 
They  did  not. 

But  Friends  aver  that  in  other  passages  their 
doctrine  is  recognised.  Is  this  likely,  after  reading 
those  passages  that  exclude  the  possibility  of  its 
existence !  But  I  will  examine  one  or  two  of  their 
texts,  which  they  love — mainly  because  they  mis- 
understand them ! 

"  Then  Peter  opened  his  mouth,  and  said,  of  a 
truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons  ; 


333 


but,  in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  him,  and 
worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with  him."  Acts, 
10  :  34,  35.  If  this  passage  asserted  as  a  fact — 
what  it  does  not — that  in  every  nation  there  are 
instances  of  holy  men,  who,  without  all  knowledge 
of  scriptural  revelation,  are  accepted  of  God ;  more 
than  this  would  still  be  necessary  to  sustain  the 
theory  of  Friends  :  it  would  still  be  wanting  to 
show  that  the  knowledge,  by  which  they  wrought 
righteousness,  was  the  result  of  the  universal  in- 
ward light.  It  might  be  the  result  of  oral  preach- 
ing ;  it  might  depend  upon  special  disclosures  of 
the  Spirit,  as  that  which  first  warned  Abram  to 
migrate  from  Ur  of  the  Chaldees  ;  it  might  occur 
as  the  consequence  of  patriarchal  tradition,  like  that 
which  assisted  (at  least)  the  piety  of  antediluvian 
saints.  The  passage  has  no  affinity  with  the  doc- 
trine of  Friends.  It  merely  asserts  the  characteristic 
largeness  of  the  new  dispensation,  in  distinction 
from  the  national  bigotry  of  the  Jews.  "  In  short," 
says  Dr.  Scott,  "  where  the  essence  of  true  religion 
is  found,  God  will  graciously  accept  it,  without  re- 
garding names,  forms  or  sects  : — and  whatever  may 
yet  be  wanting  in  explicit  knowledge  of  faith,  will 
in  due  time  be  communicated."  The  opposite  of 
the  text  is  that  a  man  who  had  heard  of  salvation, 
who  had  long  resided  among  the  people  of  God,  who 
believed  the  scriptures,  and  was  sincerely  devout, 
could  NOT  be  accepted,  because  he  was  by  nativity  an 
uncircumcised  Roman  :  this  the  Jews  believed,  and 
with  a  violence  that  was  perfectly  inexorable. 

The  facts  that  circumcision  was  abolished  and 


334 


that  the  nations  were  to  be  admitted  "  fellow-heirs, 
and  of  the  same  body,  and  partakers  of  his  promise 
in  Christ  by  the  gospel,"  as  distinguishing  the 
new  economy,  were  incredible  to  the  Jews  and  at 
first  even  to  the  apostles  themselves.  This  was  the 
first  instance,  and  Cornelius  and  his  household 
were  the  first  fruits,  of  apostolic  preaching  to  the 
Gentiles.  It  required  a  miracle,  a  divine  vision 
thrice  repeated  at  Joppa,  to  convince  Peter  of  the 
will  of  God,  in  this  grand  relation.  Nothing  less 
could  break  the  spell  of  his  Jewish  prejudices ; 
which  were  almost  as  strong  as  those  of  Friends 
against  what  they  choose  to  call  "  a  hireling  minis- 
try." When  he  journeyed,  in  obedience  to  the 
order  of  God,  from  Joppa  to  Cesarea,  "  certain  bre- 
thren from  Joppa  accompanied  him."  These  had 
not  seen  his  vision,  and  hence  "  what  God  had 
cleansed,  that  called  they  common."  They  would 
doubtless  report  his  uncanonical  administration  on 
their  return.  Peter  was  afterward  put  to  trial  on 
this  very  ground.  When  he  "  was  come  up  to  Je- 
rusalem, they  that  were  of  the  circumcision  con- 
tended with  him,  saying,  thou  wentest  in  to  men 
uncircumcised,  and  didst  eat  with  them.  But  Peter 
rehearsed  the  matter  from  the  beginning,  and  ex- 
pounded it  by  order  unto  them."  Hence  it  is  evi- 
dent that  this  passage  respects  the  Jewish,  but  has 
no  relation  to  the  Quaker  controversy.  I  remark  a 
few  particulars.  1.  Cornelius,  though  a  native  Ro- 
man, uas  an  inhabitant  of  Palestine.  He  lived  in 
Cesarea,  which  was  nearer  to  Jerusalem  than  was 
Nazareth,  where  Christ  was  educated.    He  was 


335 


doubtless  acquainted  with  the  Old  Testament  scrip- 
tures, with  the  worship  of  tlie  synagogue,  and  the 
persons  of  the  Jews.  Though  he  held  a  military 
commission  (a  case  where  piety  and  soldiership 
combine)  under  the  Roman  Emperor,  he  appears 
so  to  have  conducted  as  to  win  the  universal  ap- 
probation of  the  Jews ;  and  he  had  been  quartered 
at  Cesarea  most  probably  for  years.  Thus  he  was 
a  religious  man  long  before  Peter's  visit ;  though 
very  imperfect  in  his  knowledge.  The  historical 
facts  of  Messiah's  advent  he  had  not  then  learned. 
He  "  was  of  good  report  among  all  the  nation  of 
the  Jews."  2.  That  "  God  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
sons "  is  an  elemental  truth  that  refers  to  his  judi- 
cial character  alone.  His  providential  administra- 
tion— his  eternal  sovereignty  is  not  considered  :  it 
is  only  affirmed  that  as  a  judge  he  will  he  impar- 
tial, deciding  according  to  facts  and  evidence  ; 
he  will  not  accept  or  condemn  a  man,  Jew  or 
Greek,  because  of  national  characteristics.  3.  The 
ministry  of  the  gospel,  and  not  the  inward  light, 
nor  even  the  ministry  of  angels,  did  God  employ 
to  " preach  peace  hy  Jesus  ChrisV  to  this  converted 
heathen  and  "  perfect  that  which  was  lacking  in  his 
faith."  The  ministry  of  angels  was  employed  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  nobler  or  better  adapted 
service  of  an  apostle  preaching  the  gospel.  Cor- 
nelius "  saw  an  angel  in  his  house,  who  stood 
and  said  unto  him,  send  men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for 
Simon,  whose  surname  is  Peter ;  who  shall  tell  thee 

words  WHEREBY  TIIOU  AND  ALL  THY  HOUSE  SHALL 

BE  SAVED."    What  need  of  all  this  on  the  principle 


336 


of  Friends  I  4.  This  holy  centurion  and  his  fa- 
mily were  taught,  what  Friends  had  been  slow  to 
learn.  After  the  sermon,  said  Peter,  "Can  any 
man  forbid  water,  that  these  should  not  be  baptized, 
who  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we  I 
And  he  commanded  them  to  be  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord."  Truly  it  was  not  the  light 
within  that  predominated  in  the  speaker  or  hearers  : 
otherwise  the  question  had  been,  "  Why  noi  forbid 
water  1  having  the  substance,  what  need  of  the 
sign  1  Having  the  Holy  Ghost,  what  need  of  water  V 
What  need  \  "  Thus  it  BECOMETH  US  to 
FULFIL  ALL  RIGHTEOUSNESS."  What  need  is  there  of 
doing  the  will  of  God  !  I  just  add,  5.  That  the  in- 
troductory words,  "  then  Peter  opened  his  mouth 
and  said,"  are  not  to  be  regarded  as  a  mere  ple- 
onasm. They  refer  to  his  critical  and  novel  situa- 
tion. He  had  been  meditating  on  the  import  of 
the  vision.  His  sensations  were,  no  doubt,  inde- 
scribably strong.  But  he  kept  it  all  a  secret  till 
the  proper  opportunity.  Then  he  boldly,  as  well 
as  promptly,  divulged  it ;  he  "  opened  his  mouth  " 
and  spoke  the  unwonted  and  glorious  truth. 

"  After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude, 
which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and 
kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before 
the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with 
white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands ;  and  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  Salvation  to  our  God, 
who  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb." 
Rev.  7  :  9,  10.  From  this  text,  and  others  of 
which  this  is  a  specimen.  Friends  infer  that  there 


337 


are  pious  and  holy  people  among  all  nations  ;  that 
they  become  such  by  attention  to  the  inward  light 
and  not  by  outward  means  ;  and  consequently  that 
their  whole  system  is  proved.  But  surely  their  in- 
ferences are  too  rapid  to  be  sound.  Not  a  word 
is  said  about  the  manner  of  their  becoming  pious  ; 
and  why  then  have  ice  not  an  equal  right  to  infer 
that  the  rule,  faith  cometh  by  hearing  and  hearing 
by  the  word  of  God,  was  as  really  true  in  their  case 
as  in  other  cases  1  There  is  at  best  no  proof  in 
such  texts  in  favor  of  Friends.  Beside,  it  occurs 
in  a  connection  of  prophecy.  Events,  then  future 
to  the  writer,  were  predicted.  These  events  were 
the  conversion  of  hundreds  to  the  faith  of  Christ, 
who  were  "  sealed  in  their  foreheads  as  the  ser- 
vants of  God."  Whatever  may  be  meant  by  the 
process  of  sealing,  if  we  are  to  judge  of  this  by 
other  instances  of  which  we  are  informed,  we 
should  say  the  gospel  was  preached  to  them  ;  they 
believed  it ;  they  professed  the  religion  of  Christ, 
were  baptized,  and  accepted,  "  as  heirs  together 
of  the  grace  of  life."  It  is  moreover  a  scene  which 
occurs  properly  on  the  earth,  though  it  respects  the 
heavenly  state ;  as  by  the  rapid  associations  of 
prophecy,  the  two  are  often  exchanged  and  often 
jningled  also  in  the  description.  If  however  it  is 
destitute  of  all  proof  of  that  which  it  was  brought 
to  prove,  we  must  search  for  other  texts  which  bear 
upon  the  question.  How  do  sinners  become  pious? 
Whatever  we  may  allow  for  possibilities  iii  the 
divine  administration,  there  is  no  known  or  re- 
vealed METHOD  OF  SALVATION  OTHER  THAN  THAT 

43 


338 


WHICH    IS    BY    FAITH    IN    THE     GOSPEL    OF  JeSUS 

Christ  !  The  gospel  had  been  preached  through- 
out the  whole  world,  before  the  book  of  Revelation 
was  written.  Missionary  efforts  were  made  in  after 
ages,  especially  in  the  next  century.  The  book 
itself  sublimely  and  often  predicts  the  spread  of  the 
gospel  as  the  means  of  salvation :  and  I  know  of 
no  necessity  or  reason  for  the  inference,  from  that 
text  or  any  other  in  the  Bible,  that  men  are  saved 
without  the  gospel. 

The  propagation  of  the  gospel  in  the  first  ages, 
constitutes  one  of  the  most  wonderful-  prodigies  in 
human  history;  vv^hether  we  consider  the  obstacles 
that  were  overcome,  the  victories  that  were  accom- 
plished, the  means  used,  the  space  occupied  and 
filled  with  its  radiance,  or  its  lasting  and  magnifi- 
cent results  as  related  to  the  future  and  the  present 
world.    Viewed  with  accuracy  and  comprehensive- 
ness, it  remains  itself  a  demonstration  of  the  di- 
vinity OF  the  gospel  and  the  succors  of  God  in 
ITS  promulgation,  which  infidelity  can  never  an- 
swer or  candor  disallow.    The  passage  in  Colos- 
sians,  1  :  23,  (compare  6,)  which  Barclay  translates 
and  interprets,  as  if  it  meant  to  teach  his  thesis  of 
"  universal  and  saving  light "  suffocating  "  in  every 
creature  that  is  under  heaven,"  as  if  it  meant  "  that 
little  small  thing"  and  so  forth,  means  demonstra- 
hly  no  more  than  the  vast  and  astonishing  diffusion 
of  the  gospel,  by  preaching,  even  in  the  first  thirty 
years  after  the  crucifixion  of  its  glorious  Author. 
It  were  better  thus  rendered  :  "  Not  removed  from 
the  hope  of  the  gospel,  which  ye  have  heard,  which 


339 


hath  been  preached  (xripvj^devtoi;  ev  Ttaaip  tri  xtioet 
Tri  vno  tov  ovpavov)  in  all  creation  that  is  under 
heaven  ;  and  of  which  I  Paul  am  made  a  minister." 
Another  specimen  this  of  what  it  seems  the  voca- 
tion of  inward  light  to  do !  How  anti-spiritual, 
how  gross,  how  prevaricating,  is  such  a  light!  I 
could  easily  write  another  treatise  of  corrections, 
rescuing  the  true  meaning  of  a  multitude  of  pas- 
sages from  the  profane  and  audacious  glossings 
of  a  pseudo-inspiration.    We  pass  to  consider, 

V.  The  missionary  practice  of  the  apostles, 
in  carrying  the  gospel  to  distant  nations  and 
preaching  it  to  all  the  world,  as  if  the  gospel  so 
preached,  and  not  any  interior  light,  was  to  he  the 
instrument  of  "  salvation  to  every  one  that  helievethy 

Actions  speak  louder  than  tcords,  as  saith  the 
proverb  of  the  ancients  ;  and  in  reference  to  the 
meaning  of  the  apostles,  if  we  can  ascertain  their 
official  conduct,  the  result  should  be  conclusive. 
How  then  did  they  understand  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  in  this  respect  1  The  same  criterion  might 
aid  our  investigation  of  other  points.  Were  they 
Quakers'!  Did  they  think,  and  act,  and  look,  and 
preach,  like  Friends  l  How  did  they  act ;  what 
was  their  common  usage  in  reference  to  the  hea- 
then worlds  I  answer,  they  viewed  it  as  full  of 
condemned  sinners,  who  could  be  saved  by  the  gospel 
through  faith,  and  in  that  way  alone;  and  they 
accordingly  acted  toward  them,  inculcating  both  by 
their  preaching  and  practice  the  solemn  duty  of 
Christendom,  and  especially  of  the  church,  to  dif- 
fuse the  light  of  the  gospel,  mainly  by  preaching, 
throughout  the  whole  family  of  nations. 


340 


If  this  be  true,  is  the  light  of  Friends  true  1  If 
it  be,  why  are  they  not  actuated  toward  the  nations 
as  the  apostles  were  ?  why  do  they  oppose  mis- 
sions \  why  lend  so  feeble  and  so  ambiguous  an 
aid  at  best  to  the  noble  evangelical  charities  of  the 
dayl  why  not  favor  Bible  societies  and  all  kindred 
institutions,  with  their  personal  and  pecuniary  in- 
fluence \  I  know  there  are  a  few — very  few — la- 
mentably few — exceptions  !  But  look  at  the  society 
at  large.  The  frost  of  stagnation  hath  settled  on 
their  energies  and  the  winter  of  stoicism  hath  frozen 
all  its  depths !  If  the  apostles  had  acted  as  they  do 
(and  that  not  in  one  respect  alone)  Christianity  had 
NEVER  been  propagated  among  the  nations  ! 

From  the  commencement  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  to  the  end  of  the  inspired  canon,  com- 
prising twenty-three  distinct  original  volumes,  we 
have  a  continual  history  of  the  missionary  prac- 
tice of  the  apostles.  Not  only  in  person  did  they 
travel  and  preach,  but  they  encouraged  and  pre- 
pared others,  evangelists  and  preachers,  to  go  forth, 
fulfilling  that  ancient  prophecy ;  "  The  Lord  gave 
the  word;  great  was  the  company  of  them  that 
published  it."  So  many  and  so  "  mighty  through 
God  "  were  these  heralds  of  the  cross,  that  the  pro- 
pagation of  Christianity  in  the  first  ages  remains 
to  this  day  a  wonder  of  divine  achievement.  It 
is  unparalleled  in  the  pages  of  universal  history. 
The  whole  Roman  empire  felt  the  vital  shock  of 
the  gospel,  circulating,  like  the  tide  of  life  in  the 
human  frame,  from  the  centre  to  the  extremities. 
When  Paul  wrote  his  glorious  epistle  to  the  Ro- 


341 


mans  he  had  indeed  never  visited  that  proud  me- 
tropolis, though  his  pilgrim  labors  had  filled  the 
world,  in  almost  every  other  direction,  with  the 
renown  of  his  Master.    He  says  to  the  Romans, 
"  from  Jerusalem,  and  round  about  unto  Illyricum, 
I  have  fully  preached  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Yea, 
so  have  I  strived  to  preach  the  gospel,  not  where 
Christ  was  named,  lest  I  should  build  upon  another 
man's  foundation ;  but  as  it  is  written,"  &c. — 
15  :  19-25.    We  know  that  many  others,  though 
less  eminent,  were  engaged  in  the  same  identical 
cause.     And  here  we  see  the  instrumentalities 
which  God  from  the  beginning  employed  to  propa- 
gate the  gospel ;  and  which,  through  his  blessing, 
were  astonishingly  successful.  "  Within  about  thirty 
years  after  our  Lord's  death,  the  gospel  was  spread, 
not  only  throughout  almost  all  parts  of  the  Roman 
empire,  but  even  to  Parthia  and  India."    Pliny  to 
Trajan  complains  of  the  ascendant  influence  of 
the  superstition,  as  he  calls  it,  and  of  the  conse- 
quent desolations  of  heathenism.    Tacitus  speaks 
of  an  ingens  multitudo,  a  huge  multitude  of  chris- 
tians, in  the  city  of  Rome  in  the  time  of  Nero. 
Thus  onward  proceeded  this  kingdom  of  the  High- 
est, till  it  speedily  included  the  whole  Roman 
empire,  with  the  Emperor  himself,  not  only  in  its 
territory,  but  nominally  at  least  in  its  bosom.  Could 
Quakerism  thus  have  moved  a  world  X   What — by 
inward  light,  passivity,  and  silent  meetings  ? 

That  they  must  have  thus  labored  to  evangelize 
the  nations  is  further  evident/rom  the  tenor  of  their 
commission.    "  Go  ye  therefore,"  &c.  Matt.  28  : 


342 


18-20,  and  Mark,  16:  15,  16.  On  these  words 
allow  a  few  remarks.  (1)  The  commission  was 
designed  to  be  (and  therefore  is)  of  permanent 
authority  in  the  church.  This  might  be  argued 
from  many  considerations  ;  we  infer  it  here  sirnply 
from  the  promise  ;  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  This  could  not 
apply  to  the  apostles,  or  to  the  men  of  any  one 
generation,  exclusively.  True,  the  apostles  as  such 
had  no  successors,  no  predecessors,  no  equals,  no 
official  similars.  As  preachers,  however,  they  are 
comparatively  common — they  are  at  the  head  of  a 
long  succession  of  faithful  ministers  of  the  cross 
of  an  atoning  Savior,  from  whom  each  derived  his 
tantamount  authority.  This  shows  the  permanent 
constitution  of  the  gospel,  and  infers  the  perma- 
nent wants  of  men,  as  well  as  the  permanent  duty 
of  the  church.  (2)  The  original  word  rendered 
preach  is  taken  from  the  office  of  a  commissioned 
town  crier,  who  makes  proclamation  aloud  with 
the  authority  of  the  commonwealth,  and  arrests 
the  attention  of  all  to  his  message.  In  this  way 
is  the  order  to  preach  the  gospel  in  all  the  world 
and  to  every  creature.  Not  a  word  in  the  commis- 
sion about  the  light  within! 

The  word  teach  means  to  instruct  by  oral  incul- 
cation ;  and  thus  to  preach  and  teach  the  gospel  to 
mankind  is  the  sum  of  this  stupendous  order,  that 
remains  to  this  day  binding,  directly  or  indirectly — 
binding  in  its  spirit  on  every  human  being  to  whom 
it  comes,  greeting.  It  is  an  order  to  diffuse  the 
truth  of  the  gospel,  to  propagate  Christianity  ;  a 


343 


work  of  the  King's  commandment,  in  which  every 
subject  of  his  realm  is  bound  to  be  aiding  and 
assisting ;  and  at  least  to  give  it  his  blessing  and 
his  prayers.  The  age  in  which  we  live  is  begin- 
ning to  awake  to  this  business.  One  third  of  the 
present  century  has  gone,  the  brightest  since  the 
Reformation,  with  the  light  of  the  angel's  pinions, 
"  flying  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  ever- 
lasting GOSPEL  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on 
the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and 
tongue,  and  people."  Here  we  see  the  appointed 
means  of  the  conversion  of  the  world.  Luke,  10  : 
1,  2.  The  scriptures  are  to  be  translated  into  all 
the  languages  of  the  peopled  earth ;  missionaries 
are  to  go  forth  by  thousands  ;  like  candles  unlight- 
ed,  though  distributed  in  a  large  house,  the  Jewish 
manuscripts  of  "  Moses  and  the  Prophets  "  (in 
every  synagogue  under  heaven,)  are  to  be  touched 
and  lighted  with  the  torch  of  Christianity,  kindling 
a  thousand  central  fires  throughout  the  world,  but 
shedding  one  sole  light  upon  the  darkness  of  its 
inhabitants.  But  I  digress.  (3)  We  see  the  duty 
of  all  who  hear  the  gospel — to  believe  it,  to  learn 
it,  to  love  it,  and  practise  it  to  the  glory  of  God. 
(4)  The  sanctions  of  the  preached  gospel  are  at 
once  ultimate  and  tremendous  :  they  are  salvation 
to  the  believer,  damnation  to  the  infidel ;  and  no 
alternative  !  It  contains  no  apology  for  harshness, 
no  compromise,  no  ceremony,  no  respect  of  per- 
sons, no  double  dealing,  no  concealment.  Let  the 
world  tremble — rather  let  the  world  obey!  (5) 
There  is  nothing  mystical,  or  even  figurative,  in 


344 


all  this  high  concern  of  truth  and  destiny.  It  is 
all  intelligible.  The  meaning  of  every  word  is 
plain.  It  is  marked  with  "  truth  and  soberness." 
No  enthusiasm,  no  weakness,  no  artifice,  appears ; 
but  the  signals  of  mercy  and  majesty  divine  !  How 
totally  unlike  Quakerism  !  My  last  remark  is  (6) 
that  the  gospel  so  propagated  is  alone  recognised 
as  the  grand  instrument  of  salvation.  As  it  in- 
volves no  uncertainty,  we  know  that  by  this  men 
may  he  saved  ;  for  so  says  Jesus  Christ.  Can  we 
KNOW  as  much  of  inward  light  \  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved."  He  that 
minds  the  inward  light — stay  !  is  that  in  the  com- 
mission 1  That  instrument  of  God  is  a  manifesto 
of  duty  to  the  world,  as  well  as  a  charter  of  office 
to  the  ministry !  Whatever  we  may  guess,  or 
"  Friends  believe  "  about  the  inward  light,  what 
divine  certificate  have  we  for  any  thing  but  faith  in 
the  simple  gospel  1 

All  the  history  we  have  in  the  case  shows  that 
the  apostles  understood  this  commission  just  as  we 
do.  Their  practice  is  a  commentary  which  verbal 
criticism  cannot  corrupt,  nor  any  thing  but  infatua- 
tion resist.  The  light  within  may  clearly  see  some- 
what different,  since  covetousness  and  sensuality 
see  the  same  thing.  But  genuine  piety  listens  to 
declarations  such  as  these  :  "  For  the  preaching  of 
the  cross  is  to  them  that  perish,  foolishness  ;  but 
unto  us  who  are  saved,  it  is  the  power  of  God. 
For  it  is  written,  I  will  destroy  the  wisdom  of  the 
wise,  and  will  bring  to  nothing  the  understanding 
of  the  prudent.    Where  is  the  wise  \  where  is  the 


345 


scribe  1  where  is  the  disputer  of  this  world  /  hath 
not  God  made  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this  world  I 
For  after  that  in  the  wisdom  of  God  the  world  by 
wisdom  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God  by  the 
foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  them  that  believe. 
For  the  Jews  require  a  sign,  and  the  Greeks  seek 
after  wisdom  :  but  we  preach  Christ  crucified,  unto 
the  Jews  a  stumbling-block,  and  unto  the  Greeks 
foolishness  ;  but  unto  them  which  are  called,  both 
Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of  God,  and 
the  wisdom  of  God."  1  Cor.  1  :  18-24.  Besides,' 
we  have  a  standing  order  for  the  recruiting  of  the 
ministry  to  the  end  of  the  world.  2  Tim.  2 :  2. 

I  only  ask  any  man  of  sense  to  tell  me,  in  view 
of  all  this,  what  are  we  to  think  of  the  inward 
light  ?  of  that  inspired  sanctimony  which  denounces 
all  this  structure  of  God,  as  prosecuted  "  in  the  will 
of  the  creature"  and  as  a  system  of  will  worship 
and  idolatry  ?  "  Wo  unto  them  that  call  evil  good, 
and  good  evil ;  that  put  darkness  for  light,  and  light 
for  darkness  ;  that  put  bitter  for  sweet,  and  sweet 
for  bitter.  Wo  unto  them  that  are  wise  in  their 
own  eyes,  and  prudent  in  their  own  sight."  Is. 
5:20,21. 

A  correct  view  of  the  commission,  work,  impor- 
tance, and  ends,  of  the  evangelical  ministry,  might 
revolution  the  mind  of  any  Friend,  in  respect  to 
the  distinctness  and  dignity  of  the  ministerial  or- 
der :  and  he  who  reads  the  scripture  with  an  eye 
critically  awake  to  the  subject,  will  see  how  the 
total  scope  of  the  book  of  God  differs  from  the 

44 


346 


total  scope  of  Quakerism  :  what  I  have  given  un- 
der this  head,  or  indeed  elsew^here,  is  more  an  ex- 
hibition of  principles  and  specimens  than  a  full 
synopsis  of  the  subject. 

VI.  The  character  of  apostolic  preaching, 

AND  ALSO  OF  HIS  WHO  COMMISSIONED  AND  PRECEDED 

THE  APOSTLES,  ig  wonclcrfully  destitute  of  all  force 
and  propriety,  in  respect  to  the  doctrine  of  in- 
ward light,  if  that  doctrine  be  true. 

That  these  all  preached  the  doctrine  of  the  per- 
'  son  and  office-viork  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  vital  to 
all  saving  knowledge  of  God,  is  a  momentous  and 
indisputable  fact.  No  man  believes  this  fact  per- 
haps more  really  than  I  do.  It  is  the  catholic  faith 
of  protestants  :  and  he  is  no  christian  Avho  doubts 
or  denies  it.  Let  not  Friends  assume  that  I  am 
opposed  to  the  scripture  doctrine  of  that  important 
article  of  the  creed  of  all  saints  ;  because  I  distin- 
guish it  from  their  doctrine  which  I  consider  not 
scriptural  at  all  : — for,  I  believe  the  Quaker  spirit 
to  be  another  spirit,  the  Quaker  influence  another 
influence,  and  the  Quaker  doctrine  another  doc- 
trine. 

It  seems  necessary,  as  I  wish  neither  to  deal  in 
negatives  nor  to  become  voluminous  with  positives 
in  this  treatise,  to  give  a  statement  of  what  I  con- 
sider the  catholic  doctrine  on  this  subject — the  im- 
portance of  which  can  scarcely  be  exceeded.  Here 
also  I  wish  to  commit  no  individual  or  denomina- 
tion for  my  views  of  the  catholic  doctrine.  If  I  show 
a  very  different  doctrine  from  that  of  Friends,  then 
the  reader  has  only  to  "  search  the  scriptures  ;"  and 


347 


if  he  finds  it  there  in  substance  as  here  represented, 
he  will  be  at  no  loss  to  account  for  the  zeal  mani- 
fested in  these  pages  against  its  placid  counterfeit. 
Perhaps  also  some  scriptural  evidence  accompany- 
ing the  statement  may  aid  his  conviction  of  the 
truth.  It  will  be  impossible,  however,  within  the 
allotted  space,  to  adduce  the  full  proof  of  every 
position ;  nor  will  an  approximation  to  this  be  at- 
tempted. 

That  the  Spirit  of  God  has  a  mighty  and  uncom- 
puted  agency  in  preparing  the  church  for  glory  and 
eternally  sustaining  them  in  that  sublime  fruition  ; 
and  that  this  agency  is  substantially  the  same  in 
all  ages  of  the  world — from  Abel  to  the  last  ran- 
somed soul  before  "  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God, 
wherein  the  heavens  being  on  fire  shall  be  dis- 
solved, and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent 
heat ;"  are  positions  of  sacred  and  evincible  truth. 
But  the  Spirit  has  done  many  things  without  us, 
as  well  as  in  us  ;  and  many  preliminary,  as  well  as 
consummate  ;  and  circumstantial,  as  well  as  vital, 
in  effectuating  the  salvation  of  men.  All  his  in- 
fluences, however,  are  necessary  in  their  place  ;  nor 
does  it  accord  with  his  perfect  wisdom  to  do  any 
thing  in  vain  or  any  thing  superfluous.  By  his  in- 
fluences I  mean  all  that  he  does,  in  whatever  aspect, 
in  accomplishing  the  salvation  of  the  saved :  a  cor- 
rect view  of  which  affords  at  once  the  theory  and 
the  vindication  of  those  blessings  of  salvation, 
called,  somewhat  technically,  revivals  of  reli- 
gion. 

These  influences  I  distinguish  into  two  great 


348 


classes  as  ordinary  and  miraculous  ;  of  which 
inversely  : 

First,  MIRACULOUS  influences.  Under  this  head  I 
comprehend  all  extraordinary  influences,  whether 
formally  miraculous  or  not ;  as  his  agency  in  crea- 
tion, in  providence  and  in  the  ancient  church ;  his 
plenary  revealing  influence,  in  all  the  *'  holy  men 
of  God "  by  whom  the  scriptures  were  written  for 
the  benefit  of  the  world ;  his  influences  strictly 
miraculous  in  the  first  ages  of  the  Jewish  and  the 
christian  church ;  particularly  of  the  latter,  when 
the  preachers  of  the  gospel,  introducing  Christianity 
and  planting  it,  in  a  world  of  ignorance  and  hos- 
tility unallayed  with  better  qualities,  "  went  forth, 
and  preached  every  where,  the  Lord  working  with 
them,  and  confirming  the  word  with  signs  follow- 
ing— God  also  bearing  them  witness,  both  with 
signs  and  wonders,  and  with  divers  miracles,  and 
gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  according  to  his  own  will ;" 
and  his  suggestive  influences,  in  many  merely  oral 
communications  of  his  prophets  and  apostles,  occa- 
sional or  regular,  public  or  personal,  brief  or  ex- 
tended, for  purposes  more  partial  and  temporary 
than  what  was  ordered  to  be  written  for  coming 
generations.  Of  these  influences,  called  miraculous, 
I  would  observe  (1)  that  they  are  all  gifts  and  not 
graces,  all  helps  and  not  parts,  all  auxiliaries  and 
not  constituents,  of  vital  religion.  A  man  may  have 
inspiration  and  work  miracles,  and  be  "  a  devil,"  as 
were  Judas  and  others  :  because  he  may  know  and 
experience  all  these  things,  and  never  love  God  or 
forsake  sin,  or  have  one  good  motive.    Piety  does 


849 


not  consist  in  being  inspired  or  working  a  miracle  ; 
but  in  obeying  the  gospel,  departing  from  iniquity, 
and  practising  the  will  of  God.^^  How  would  the 
opposite,  or  the  doctrine  of  Friends,  affect  us,  re- 
duced to  the  simple  proposition  ;  Except  a  man  he- 
comes  inspired,  as  the  prophets  and  apostles  were,  he 
cannot  be  saved!  This  however  is  the  doctrine  of 
Barclay,  as  I  shall  hereafter  show.  More  to  evince 
the  absurdity  of  the  position,  let  us  alter  it,  thus  ; 
Except  a  man  have  the  gift  of  miracles  and  of  lan- 
guages, as  the  apostles  had  on  the  day  of  pentecost, 
he  cannot  be  saved.  I  observe  (2)  that  all  the  mira- 
culous influences,  as  they  are  distinct,  so  are  they 
all  SUBSERVIENT  to  the  ORDINARY  influences,  and  of 
ultimate  worth  only  as  related  to  the  triumphs  of 
truth  and  holiness.  Miracles  and  inspiration  are  to 
piety  just  what  scaffolding  is  to  a  building  or  husks 
to  growing  corn  : — of  no  utility  after  their  end  is  ac- 
complished. Miracles  however  are  still  of  use  to 
us ;  established  by  testimony  and  vindicated  by 
rational  evidence,  all  ages,  since  the  last  one  was 
performed,  may  be  certified  of  their  verity ;  may 
infer  the  truth  of  the  system  which  they  were  given 
to  authenticate  ;  and  enjoy  in  thought  and  feeling 
(not  in  sense)  all  the  moral  advantage  of  the  whole 
series  from  the  beginning  ;  this  their  noblest  benefit 
and  end.  If  they  were  thus  subsidiary  to  the  more 
noiseless,  less  ostentatious,  untransitory  influences, 
called  ordinary,  then  (3)  ue  ought  to  value  and 
expect  the  ordinary  influences,  as  at  once  attaina- 
ble by  all,  and  infinitely  more  profitable  to 
their  possessors,  than  the  extraordinary  and  mi- 


350 


raculous  influences.  These  one  might  have  and — 
perish  ;  those  to  have,  is  to  be  saved — if  the  degree 
involve  hohness  of  heart !  I  observe  (4)  that  whate- 
ver tends  to  error  in  this  relation,  by  leading  men 
to  substitute  the  latter  for  the  former,  to  prefer 
gifts  to  graces,  and  miracles  to  mercies,  and  in- 
spiratio7i  to  a  moral  change  of  the  affections, 
tends  equally  to  deceive  and  ruin  the  soul ;  tends 
to  make  zealots  and  fools  instead  of  saints  and 
christians  ;  tends  to  fascinate  the  immortal  mind 
icith  nonsense  and  to  jrlunge  it  into  death.  Once 
more  (5)  there  is  no  evidence  either  of  the  necessity 
or  the  reality  of  miraculous  influences  since  the 
apostle's  day,  nor  of  one  instance  of  proper  in- 
spiration since  the  death  of  the  beloved  John. 
Where  is  there  any  utihty  of  such  influences  \ 
Cessante  causa,  cessat  res,  the  effect  ceases  with 
its  cause.  The  power  of  miracles  continued  and 
permanent,  is  at  once  the  claim  and  the  stigma  of 
antichrist.  2  Thes.  2  :  9,  10.  And  why  is  there 
not  just  as  much  evidence  of  miracles,  as  of  inspi- 
ration, continued  I  Friends  strangely  separate,  what 
God  has  generally  joined  ;  and  are — of  late — quite 
as  remarkable  for  declining  to  work  miracles  as  for 
professing  to  be  inspired.  O  that  they  would  learn  to 
"  refuse  profane  and  old  wives'  fables,  and  exercise 
themselves  rather  unto  godliness !"  Otherwise,  it 
will  be  their  doom,  as  it  is  their  history,  to  "  turn 
away  their  ears  from  the  truth,  and  be  turned 
unto  fables."  "  And  we  know  that  all  things  work 
together  for  good,  to  them  that  love  God,  [whether 
inspired  or  not,]  to  them  tcho  are,  the  called  accord- 


ing  to  his  purpose :"  and  these  are  identified  with 
them  that  love  God. 

Secondly,  I  come  now  to  speak  of  the  ordinary 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  By  these  I  mean  all 
those  influences  hy  ichich  the  mind  is  enlightened, 
convinced,  converted,  sanctified,  comforted,  sus- 
tained, actuated  in  obedience,  edified  in  faith,  ex- 
panded with  benevolence,  martialed  in  duty,  and 
matured  for  heaven ;  as  also  those  that  eternally 
glorify  the  being  of  saints,  and  make  their  ever- 
lasting conservation  in  blessedness  to  be  infallible. 
These  I  suppose  are  substantially  the  same  in 
every  age,  vitally  and  totally  necessary  to  salvation. 
I  however  subdivide  them  into  objective  and  sub- 
jective. 

Objective  ordinary  influences.  By  these  I 
mean  those  influences  of  the  Spirit  in  which  the 
OBJECTS  OF  RELIGION  are  afl'orded  to  the  mind  as 
the  occasions  and  moral  causes  of  devout  afl^eciion 
and  the  stamina  of  usefulness  in  the  world.  Of 
these  I  shall  make  some  observations  at  the  com- 
mencement of  successive  paragraphs. 

(1)  These  influences  are  all  exerted  through 

THE     instrumentality    OF    TRUTH     ALONE,  frOm 

tvhatever  medium  accepted  by  the  mind; — whe- 
ther that  medium  be  at  the  time  the  volume  of  God's 
blessed  and  luminous  word  ;  or  the  mighty  works 
of  his  hand  ;  or  the  senses  in  any  way  conveying  it 
to  the  thoughts  ;  as  preaching  heard,  or  the  sacra- 
ments seen,  or  pious  example  witnessed,  or  the  ap- 
peal of  providential  events  of  joy  or  grief  consi- 
dered, or — to  one  who  knows  the  general  truth — ■ 


352 


"  night  visions  may  befriend  "  and  dreams  help  us 
awake.  2  Cor.  3  :  8,  11,  12,  18.  In  a  word,  God 
may  use  almost  any  means  to  bring  the  truth  into 
living  contact  with  the  mind. 

(2)  All  truth,  that  savingly  influences,  is  derived, 
since  the  first  ages  of  Christianity,  from  the  volume 
of  scripture  alone  ;  and  that  directly  or  indirectly, 
immediately  or  remotely,  formally  or  virtually :  so 
that  but  for  the  scriptures,  we  should  he  sunk  in  the 
profane  barbarism  and  stupid  idolatry  of  the  hea- 
then nations.  Rom.  15  :  4.  Prov.  29  :  18.  John, 
17  :  17,  19,  20.  Eph.  6  :  17.  James,  1  :  18,  21, 
22.  1  Pet.  1  :  22-25.  Rom.  3:1,2.  1  Thes. 
4  :  5.  There  are  other  passages  innumerable  to 
to  the  same  point.    These  however  may  suffice. 

(3)  The  grand  manner  in  ordinary  of  truth's 
access  savingly  to  the  mind,  is  through  preaching  ; 
when  the  Spirit  speeds  the  progress  of  his  own  truth 
to  the  latent  "  springs  and  principles''^  of  the  mind; 
not  by  altering  the  truth ;  but  by  so  presenting  it  to 
the  mind  as  to  give  the  truth  ^'■free  course  "  and 
efficacy  through  all  its  faculties.  The  truth,  being 
right,  needs  not  the  Spirit  to  convert  or  improve  it ; 
or  to  give  it  life,  being  itself  "  quick  and  powerful ;" 
but  the  mind  needs  to  be  arrested,  awakened,  trans- 
formed, through  the  truth,  to  perceive  and  love  and 
pursue  the  glorious  objects  of  religion,  the  fixed 
stars  of  the  eternal  firmament.  1  Thes.  1  :  5-7 ; 
2:13.  2  Thes.  2  :  11-14.  Whence  we  pass  to  treat, 

2.  Of  SUBJECTIVE  ordinary  influences.  By  these 
I  mean  all  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  on  the  sub- 
jects or  men  ichom  he  affects,  bringing  them  to  con- 


353 


sider,  seek  religion,  repent,  obey,  worship,  believe, 
practise  holiness,  and  persevere  to  life  everlasting; 
including  awakening,  conviction,  regeneration,  sanc- 
tijication,  consolation,  universal  piety,  and  ultimate 
salvation. 

I  call  these  subjective,  because  men  are  the  sub- 
jects of  them,  and  because  they  are  considered  dis- 
tinctly with  respect  to  the  subjects  themselves.  I 
call  them  the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  because  they 
are  virtually  so  denominated  in  the  word  of  God ; 
and  because  he  is  the  Grand  Agent  who  produces 
them  and  is  immediately  glorified  in  them ;  since 
all  these  belong  to  his  revealed  office-work.  Of 
these  I  remark, 

(1)  That  the  true  order  in  our  consideration  of 
them  is,  that  objective  precede  subjective  influ- 
ences ;  and  not  the  contrary.  Give  to  subjective 
influences  the  precedency,  and  you  have  made  an 
inlet  to  all  the  enthusiasm,  spiritual  pride,  and  spe- 
cious sin,  that  ever  spurned  the  scriptures,  hated 
order,  violated  purity,  misrepresented  truth,  de- 
graded religion,  glorified  blundering  ignorance,  and 
scandalized  the  souls  of  men.  In  such  an  inver- 
sion knowledge  is  despised  as  infamous  and  Satan 
enthroned  in  his  celestial  disguises.  This  is,  no 
doubt,  the  philosophy  of  all  religious  wild-fire  and 
spiritual  extravagance,  and  pious  ill  manners,  and 
spurious  illumination.  Thus  men  learn  to  worship 
their  own  experiences,  to  deify  their  feelings,  and 
to  follow  every  imagination  as  the  voice  of  God. 
I  am  sorry  to  record  that  real  christians,  and  even 
christian  ministers,  are  sometimes  carried  away — in 

45 


354 


degree — with  this  lawless  influence.  The  weak- 
ness of  the  human  mind,  the  infinite  themes  of  re- 
ligion, the  infirmity  of  faith,  opinionated  ignorance, 
silly  credulity,  the  arts  of  false  teachers,  the  stimu- 
lus of  a  solemn  occasion,  spiritual  pride,  the  deceit- 
fulness  of  the  heart,  officious  and  erring  counsellors, 
and  the  devices  of  the  devil,  are  the  proper  causes, 
as  the  scriptures  are  only  the  innocent  occasions  of 
all  these  scandals :  which  however  may  be  resolved 
into  a  principle  which  is  in  fact  digested  into  the 
creed  of  Friends  and  made  the  focal  point  of  all 
their  religion ;  that  principle  is  the  precedency  of 
subjective  influences !  I  believe  that  this  was  the  pre- 
cise inspiration  of  that  lustrous  son  of  moonshine, 
George  Fox.  Whether  he  had  piety  or  not  beside,  is 
another  question — and  I  leave  it  to  him  who  knows. 
Thus  I  do  of  all  Friends,  wishing  their  salvation. 
I  attack  their  tenets,  not  them.  To  be  sure,  they 
are  very  much  identified  with  their  tenets;  but  this 
is  not  my  fault : — I  wish  they  were  more  than  the 
moon's  distance  apart!  But  to  return.  Give  to  ob- 
jective influences  the  precedency  ;  and  then  subjec- 
tive follow  in  their  place,  and  all  is  order,  symmetry 
and  wisdom  :  the  feelings  are  made  to  honor  their 
proper  sphere  in  subordination  to  truth  ;  the  intel- 
lect is  "  exercised  to  discern  both  good  and  evil 
the  whole  moral  manhood  is  subjected  to  "  the 
glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God ;"  and  the  sub- 
ject learns  to  "  be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer 
to  every  man  that  asketh  him  a  reason  of  the  hope 
that  is  in  him,  with  meekness  and  fear."  1  Peter, 
3:15.   I  observe  further — 


355 


(2)  Subjective  influences  are  never  to  he  con- 
sidered genuine  hut  as  they  may  he  seen  to  corres- 
pond with  OBJECTIVE.  This  result  need  not  be 
always  immediate,  formal  or  known,  in  order  to  be 
real.  We  cannot  conceive  of  gospel  holiness  but 
as  the  counterpart  of  truth.  Holiness  is  the  image 
of  God ;  and  divine  truth  is  the  royal  stamp  on 
which  that  image  is  cut,  and  which  the  Spirit  uses 
as  the  universal  instrument  of  all  his  own  impres- 
sions. However  he  may  melt  or  soften  or  prepare 
the  mass,  before  he  coins  it  into  heavenly  currency, 
it  never  gets  the  king's  "  image  and  superscription," 
till  that  unrivaled  signet  imparts  it  by  the  power  of 
the  Spirit  of  God.  I  venture  to  translate  Rom. 
6:17,  more  as  it  ought  to  be,  in  favor  of  this  view. 
"  But  God  be  thanked  that  ye  are  not,  though  ye 
were,  the  servants  of  sin  ;  seeing  ye  have  obeyed 
from  the  heart  that  mould  of  doctrine  into  which 
ye  were  cast."  It  is  elsewhere  said  ;  "  so  we  preach, 
and  so  ye  believed."  And  again  we  read  of  others 
"  that  perish,  because  they  received  not  the  love  of 
the  truth,  that  they  might  be  saved."  Says  John, 
"  We  are  of  God.  He  that  knoweth  God,  hearetli 
us ;  and  he  that  is  not  of  God,  heareth  not  us. 
Hereby  know  we  the  spirit  of  truth  and  the  spirit 
of  error." 

(3)  The  mode  of  subjective  operation,  essen- 
tially considered,  is  equally  inscrutable  and  unim- 
portant. "  Hoio  can  these  things  be"?"  How  does 
the  Spirit  reach,  open,  impress,  and  actuate  the 
mind,  so  that  now  the  same  things  engross  and 
enrapture  it  which  once  were  insipid  and  even  re- 


356 


pulsivel  What  wheel  has  he  touched,  what  cord 
relaxed,  what  veil  removed  I  We  only  know  the 
fact  that  he  does,  not  the  mode  hoic  he  does,  the 
glorious  wonder.  A  wise  man,  who  knows  the 
rational  horizon  of  the  mind,  and  can  see  to  the 
boundaries  of  human  intelligence,  in  rebus — certi 
denique  fines,  confesses  his  total  ignorance,  where 
fools  luxuriate  in  the  pride  of  knowledge.  Acts, 
16  :  14.  John,  3  :  8.  Col.  2  :  18.  This  difficulty, 
though  practically  it  has  no  existence,  resolves  it- 
self ultimately  into  the  inscrutable  mode  of  a  most 
palpable  fact — the  necessary  and  absolute  depen- 
dence of  a  created  moral  agent. 

(4)  The  all-important  matter  is  the  result  of 
these  influences.    The  process  is  valuable  only  for 
the  sake  of  the  result.    This  is  the  grand  deside- 
ratum in  self-examination.    Whatever  influence, 
otherwise  definable  or  not,  brings  its  subject  to 
evangelical  results,  in  thought,  motive,  conduct ; 
that  influence  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the  Spirit  of  God. 
Hence  the  criteria  of  discrimination  that  abound  in 
the  sacred  volume.    Hence  the  results  described 
in  such  passages  as  the  following ;  "  the  fruit  of 
the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,"  &-c.    Gal.  5  :  22-24. 
Eph.  5:9.    1  Cor.  12  :  3.    Observe,  how  totally 
devoid  of  all  extravagance  are  these  texts  !  There 
are  thousands  more  in  the  Bible  of  the  same  kind. 
It  is  plain  then  if  a  man  love  God,  if  he  really  love 
him,  if  it  be  a  fact  that  he  loves  God,  that  man  is 
a  christian  and  will  be  saved,  whether  he  can  give 
the  history  of  the  affection  or  not.   "  Believest  thou 
this,"  O  reader  1  "  Lovest  thou  meT' 


357 


(5)  The  subjects  are  conscious  alone  of  the  ob- 
jective injiuence;  while,  by  faith  only,  and  not  by 
feeling,  they  ascribe  it  to  the  Spirit.  I  mean  by 
this  that  a  man  is  conscious  of  the  agent,  only 
through  the  instrument;  or,  he  is  solely  conscious 
of  the  action  of  truth  on  his  powers  and  of  his 
own  mental  exercises  and  acts  in  view  of  truth ; 
and  is  in  no  other  way  conscious  (or  "sensible,"  as 
Friends  say)  of  the  influence  of  the  Spirit.  Psalm 
55  :  5.  Acts,  9  :  5.  Heb.  4  :  12.  Psalm  19  :  7. 
John,  14  :  22,  23.  The  fancy  of  an  immediate 
consciousness  of  the  Spirit  evades  every  rational 
criterion,  and  is  most  probably  all  delusion  and  ma- 
terialism : — beside,  its  result  is  generally  mystical 
or  corrupt  or  ambiguous. 

(6)  The  forms,  reasons,  circumslances,  and  de- 
grees of  injiuences,  perpetually  vary,  not  only  in 
different  subjects,  but  at  different  times  in  the  same 
subject ;  nor  may  any  form  or  style  be  prescribed 
as  a  standard  of  genuineness,  since  nothing  must 
supersede  the  rule  of  judging  by  the  result.  "By 
their  fruits"  alone,  may  the  children  of  God  be 
discriminated;  and  this  according  to  the  rule  of 
the  written  word.  The  history  therefore  of  the 
mode  and  order  of  their  experiences  is  at  best  of 
very  subordinate  importance.  1  Cor.  12  :  6.  Phil. 
3  :  13.  Heb.  10  :  32. 

(7)  The  whole  economy  of  these  influences,  as 
of  any  others,  depends  supremely  on  the  sovereign 
pleasure  of  "the  only  wise  God."  I  mean  by 
this  not  to  exclude  human  agency  or  accountability 
from  their  proper  place  and  mediate  influence  in 


358 


the  event ;  nor  to  favor  any  notion  of  fatality,  or 
destiny  independent  of  the  voluntary  conduct  of 
men  ;  but  I  do  mean  to  deny  the  existence  of  ab- 
solute chance,  and  to  put  the  event,  in  common 
with  all  other  events,  in  the  sovereign  arbitration 
of  God.  I  mean  to  deny  the  Arminian  view 
which  enthrones  eternal  chance  and  exalts  the 
autocrasy  of  the  creature  "  above  all  that  is  called 
God,  or  that  is  worshipped ;"  and  puts  the  Creator 
in  a  posture  of  waiting  ignorance  or  sincere  dis- 
comfiture, rather  than  of  dominion  "  over  all,  bless- 
ed for  ever."  All  this  as  a  fact,  and  as  a  doctrine 
both  of  reason  and  scripture,  I  believe.  It  is  an 
article  of  faith,  properly  such  ;  not  a  rule  of  ac- 
tion. It  is  one  of  the  "things  that  we  are  to  believe 
concerning  God ;"  not  otherwise  one  of  the  "du- 
ties that  God  requires  of  man."  Our  duty  is  one 
thing  :  the  government  of  God  is  another.  It  is 
also  of  immense  importance  to  ourselves,  and  of 
most  auspicious  bearing  upon  our  own  salvation, 
to  know  the  truth,  and  especially  to  love  the  truth, 
in  this  sublime  relation.  No  Friend  however  can, 
I  think,  "receive  the  love  of  the  truth"  in  respect 
to  the  proper  dominion  of  the  Eternal — intelli- 
gently receive  it,  without  ceasing  to  be  a  Friend. 
Though  Barclay  makes  some  exceptions  in  favor 
of  singular  individuals,  such  as  David,  Paul,  and 
others,  yet  the  system  which  he  strenuously  upholds 
is  diametrically  opposite  to  the  position  at  the 
head  of  this  paragraph  :  in  this  he  is  true  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  society,  but  false  to  the  oracles  of 
God.    "Let  God  be  true,  bnt^every  man  a  liar,  as 


359 


it  is  written."  Without  this  enthronement  of  the 
divine  sovereignty  in  our  faith,  we  shall  worship  a 
being,  as  God,  who  is  not  the  true  and  "  only  wise 
God,"  who  has  not  all  and  especially  the  grandest 
events  in  his  hand,  and  whom  any  freak  of  chances 
may  occur  to  frustrate  and  confound.  Besides,  we 
shall  be  in  perpetual  collision  with  our  own  eternal 
interests  and  with  the  God  of  the  Bible.  2  Tim. 
1  :  9.  2  Thes.2  :  13,  14.  1  Thes.  1  :  4,  5.  1  Cor. 
3  :  5-7.  Rom.  8  :  28-30.  9  :  16, 18.  11  :  5-7.  I 
just  add  that  the  doctrine  of  sovereignty  in  no  aspect 
excludes  those  whom  the  doctrine  of  regeneration 
or  faith  would  not  equally  exclude.  Properly  un- 
derstood it  militates  not  against  any  other  doctrine 
of  scripture  ;  nor  will  it  ever  debar  from  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  one  who  does  not  also  debar  himself  by 
pride,  prejudice,  obstinacy,  and  love  of  the  world. 

What  is  adventitious  in  the  experiences  of  a  con- 
verted sinner ;  that  is,  what  results  from  his  tem- 
perament, his  history  and  circumstances,  and  not 
from  the  nature  of  religion,  being  neither  essential 
nor  proper  to  its  possession  ;  and  what  is  thus  the 
fruit  of  the  subject  and  not  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit," 
to  whatever  degree  it  may  extend,  and  however  it 
may  modify  those  experiences,  in  time,  form,  or 
intensity,  I  both  distinguish  from  religion  (con- 
fused as  they  generally  appear)  and  also  omit  at 
present  to  consider.  It  is  of  importance  however 
to  remark  that  what  the  Spirit  produces  ivc  at  the 
same  time  suhordinatcly  perform  ;  since  his  in- 
fluence succeeds  only  to  bring  us  to  deeds  and 
courses  of  evangelical  obedience.    Holiness  is  not 


360 


an  abstraction,  nor  a  dormant  principle,  nor  the  off- 
spring of  physical  influence — except  possibly  in  a 
subsidiary  way.  Hohness  is  an  abstract  word  ;  but 
the  thing  is  nothing  other  than  a  cordial  self-con- 
secration to  God,  in  a  way  of  obedience,  not  to  our 
own  imagination  or  devices,  but  to  his  rational  and 
excellent  will  revealed  in  the  gospel.  The  word 
holiness  is  applicable,  with  all  its  cognates,  sanc- 
tify, sanctijication,  saints,  holy,  and  others,  to 
persons  and  things  equally  ;  being  so  used  abun- 
dantly in  the  scriptures  :  their  common  import 
being — set  apart  from  a  common  to  a  sacred 
use ;  set  apart  for  God.  Thus,  the  temple 
with  all  its  premises,  furniture,  and  service,  was 
holy ;  and  holitiess  to  the  Lord  is  the  motto  of  his 
universal  worship.  Here  then,  is  the  clue  to  its 
personal  meaning ;  those  persons  are  holy  who, 
being  enlightened  to  know  and  regenerated  to  love 
the  gospel,  are  willingly  consecrated  or  set  apart  for 
God.  To  produce  and  sustain  this  result  is  the 
design  of  the  Spirits  influence  and  of  the  means 
of  grace.  When  any  one  finds  himself  thus  serving 
Christ,  he  is  a  saint,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  hath 
hallowed  him  as  a  living  temple  of  his  influence. 
In  conversion  itself  the  subject  is  brought  to  adopt 
other  views,  feelings,  motives,  and  ends  of  conduct, 
than  he  previously  ever  knew.  He  is  changed  in 
Ms  estimate  of  objects  and  in  his  volitions  concern- 
ing them  and  in  his  relations  to  them.  Before,  the 
world,  in  some  form,  was  his  idol,  his  pleasure,  his 
all ;  and  to  it  he  sacrificed  his  conscience,  his  rea- 
son, his  salvation  ;  while  God  and  religion  were 


361 


objects-  of  practical  neglect  and  steady  dislike. 
Now,  he  sees  that  such  an  estimate  was  false,  cri- 
minal, ruinous  ;  and  that  to  choose  the  world  for 
his  portion  is  to  choose  hell  for  his  destiny :  it  is 
the  estimate  corrected  that  revolutions  the  choice. 
Now,  he  resolutely  resigns  the  world  and  "chooses 
that  good  part  which  shall  not  be  taken  away  from 
him."  The  estimate  may  exist  imperfectly,  without 
the  choice  ;  and  so  the  subject  revert  from  mere  con- 
viction to  a  worse  apostacy :  but  it  is  not  conceiva- 
ble that  the  definitive  choice  should  occur  but  as  the 
result  of  the  estimate.  Such  a  volition  was  never 
his  before,  whom  its  occurrence  defines  "  a  new 
creature."  Thus  the  Spirit  accords  in  his  opera- 
tions with  the  laws  of  mind,  of  which  himself  is 
the  creative  author.  He  operates  on  moral  agents ; 
who  are  not  the  less  such  because  previous  trans- 
gressors and  enemies  ;  and  they  are  not  the  less 
such  for  what  he  does  in  reforming  them,  either  in 
the  process  or  the  result.  Those  who  would  see  a 
perfect  picture  of  his  influences  in  conversion, 
sketched  in  their  results  alone,  may  consult  the 
parable  of  the  prodigal  son.  After  his  voluntary 
desertion  of  his  father,  after  his  riotous  and  profli- 
gate courses,  we  see  a  pause,  a  consideration  of 
his  state  ;  we  see  his  rectified  estimate  of  things, 
his  definitive  and  voluntary  resolution,  his  practical 
consistency,  his  humiliating  and  ingenuous  confes- 
sion, his  gracious  reception,  his  final  restoration, 
and  the  elevated  rapture  of  his  father  and  house- 
hold at  the  event. 

Having  thus  given  an  outline  of  this  most  impor- 

46 


362 


tant  doctrine,  according  to  the  scope  of  scripture, 
I  wish  to  characterize  the  views  of  Fi'iends  as  con- 
tra-distinguished from  it. 

(1)  They  hold  to  continued  miraculous  injiu- 
ences,  or — what  is  much  the  same — to  the  prece- 
dency of  subjective  impressions,  or  immediate  "ob- 
jective manifestations"  in  the  mind.  Their  whole 
system  is  subjective  mainly.  Saith  Barclay,  "which 
revelations  of  God  by  the  Spirit,  whether  by  out- 
ward voices  and  appearances,  dreams,  or  inward 
objective  manifestations  in  the  heart,  were  of  old 
the  formal  object  of  their  faith,  and  remain  yet  so 
to  be  ;  since  the  object  of  the  saini's  faith  is  the 
same  in  all  ages,  though  held  forth  under  divers  ad~ 
ministrations.  And  what  was  the  object  of  their 
faith,  but  inward  and  immediate  revelation,  as  we 
have  before  proved.  But  further  ;  if  the  object  of 
faith  were  not  one  and  the  same  both  to  us  and  to 
them,  then  it  would  follow  that  we  were  to  know 
God  some  other  way  than  by  the  Spirit."  Sophis- 
tical as  ever !  as  if  the  medium  of  knowing  were 
the  same  with  the  object  known ! 

(2)  They  hold  to  the  necessity  of  those,  and  to 
that  faith  which  is  founded  on  them  as  their  "for- 
mal object^""  in  order  to  salvation.  "  The  true  and 
effectual  knowledge,  which  brings  life  eternal  with 
it, — is  no  otherwise  attained  ;  and  none  have  any 
true  ground  to  believe  they  have  attained  it,  who 
have  it  not  by  this  revelation  of  God's  vSpirit." 
What  is  this  but  eternally  unchurching  all  who  dis- 
believe his  doctrine  ! 

(3)  They  hold  that  this  is  universal,  all  men 


363 


participating  it  in  all  ages  of  the  world.  "  This 
light  enlightened!  the  hearts  of  all  in  a  day,  in  or- 
der to  salvation,  if  not  resisted  :  nor  is  it  less  uni- 
versal than  the  seed  of  sin. " 

(4)  They  hold  that,  as  it  is  by  consenting  to 
this  internal  light  that  one  man  "  differs  from 
another  "  untu  salvation,  so  it  rests  absolutely  and 
ultimately  and  wholly  and  only  with  his  will  to 
consent  or  not,  and  so  to  self-arbitrate  the  event 
of  salvation ;  yet,  they  maintain,  that,  as  it  is  by 
consenting  to  the  influence  that  it  saves  us,  so  we 
ought  not  to  SAY  that  we  save  ourselves,  but  that 
IT  saves  us.    It  might  be  proper  to  inquire  how 
happened  Barclay  to  consent,  when  others  refus- 
ed 1    There  was  either  a  cause  for  it  or  there  was 
not :  if  the  former,  what  was  that  cause  ]    "  Who 
makctli  thee  to  differ  from  another  1  and  what  hast 
thou  that  thou  didst  not  receive  l    Now  if  thou 
didst  receive  it,  why  dost  thou  glory,  as  if  thou 
hadst  not  received  it  V  1  Cor.  4 :  7,  and  2  Cor. 
5  :  5.    But  if  it  was  a  mere  hap,  for  which  there 
was  no  cause  at  all,  then  the  following  absurdities 
result :  (1)  God  himself  could  not  foreknow  it ;  for, 
that  which  had  no  cause  was  a  mere  fortuity.  It 
might  have  come  to  pass  and  it  might  not ;  how 
then  could  God  have  certainly  foreknown  that  it 
would  come  to  pass,  as  now  the  event  has  taught 
us  all  that  it  did  1    If  we  say  he  foreknew  uncer- 
tainly, what  is  this  but  affirming  his  ignorance, 
since  we  all  do  the  same  with  respect  to  future 
events — of  which  we  are  all  totally  ignorant !  It 
follows  that  God  never  foreknew  that  any  one 


364 


would  consent,  or  knew  at  all  until  he  happen- 
ed to  find  out  that  he  had  consented !  This  is 
next  door  to  horrid  impiety.  (2)  There  is  no  cer- 
tainty of  the  continuance  of  the  church  on  the  earth. 
It  is  only  by  consenting  to  follow  the  Spirit  that 
any  man  becomes  a  member  of  the  church  invisi- 
ble, as  we  all  agree.  If  then  it  be  an  absolute  con- 
tingency, a  matter  of  perfect  chance,  whether  any 
one  consents  or  not,  it  is  at  best  a  chance  whether 
one  more  will  ever  be  converted!  The  cons-e- 
quence  is  plain.  Again,  (3)  It  is  foolish  to  talk  of 
God's  liaising  up  ministers  to  prosecute  his  work, 
since  if  chance  dont  happen  (without  any  cause)  to 
cause  the  will  to  submit  to  he  willing  to  consent  to 
the  impotent  wishes  of  God,  he  can  never  raise  up 
another  !  What  a  wonderful  felicity  of  chances  it 
was  in  the  first  ages,  that  God  happened  to  suc- 
ceed to  procure  so  many  apostles  just  when  he 
happened  to  want  them ;  especially  Paul  !  And 
when  Friends  think  of  Barclay,  what  a  philoso- 
pher he  was,  how  grateful  ought  they  to  be  to 
chance,  by  whom  he  was  converted,  by  his  hap- 
pening to  consent  to  the  light  within  !  Yea  !  and 
if  Fox  had  not  so  happened  to  consent,  what 
would  have  become  of  the  whole  society  \  It  is 
plain  that  Quakerism  altogether,  with  its  wonder- 
ful light,  is  the  mere  result  of  chance  !  But  let  us 
hear  Barclay  expound  the  matter.  "  I  say — that 
as  the  grace  and  light  in  all  is  sufficient  to  save 
all,  and  of  its  own  nature  would  save  all ;  so  it 
shines  and  wrestles  with  all  in  order  to  save  them ; 
he  that  resists  its  striving,  is  the  cause  of  his  own 


365 


condemnation  ;  he  that  resists  it  not,  it  becomes 
his  salvation  :  so  that  in  him  that  is  saved,  the 
working  is  of  the  grace,  and  not  of  the  man  ;  and 
it  is  a  passiveness  [e.  g.  sitting  still  and  placid  in 
silent  meetings]  rather  than  an  act ;  though  after- 
ward, as  man  is  wrought  upon,  there  is  a  will  rais- 
ed in  him,  by  which  he  comes  to  be  a  co-worker 
with  the  grace."  This  is  rare  inspiration  and 
most  sublime  philosophy  !  Quakerism  needs  some- 
thing more  than  an  apology ! 

I  now  infer  that  the  views  of  Friends  concerning 
the  Spirit,  are  not  the  views  of  the  Bible  and  re- 
mark that  Barclay  continually  assumes  their  iden- 
tity and  rashly  reasons  on  that  false  assumption  : 
particularly  (1)  when  he  quotes  the  sayings  of 
scripture  in  reference  to  the  Spirit ;  and  (2)  when 
he  quotes  from  Calvin,  Luther,  and  the  early  Fa- 
thers, on  the  same  topic.  This  is  a  very  common 
and  most  unfair  practice  of  Friends. 

It  is  plain  that  neither  the  scriptures  nor  the  chris- 
tian Fathers  yield  his  doctrine  any  support,  unless 
it  be  true  that  their  doctrine  of  the  Spirit  is  itself 
identical  with  his!  As  well  might  Friends  quote 
me,  when  I  speak  of  the  necessity  of  the  influence 
and  maintain  that  all  means  will  be  ultimately  vain 
without  it ;  and  because  I  say  this,  might  they  affirm 
that  I  held  their  doctrine !  and  this,  though  I  abomi- 
nate their  doctrine,  and  believe  it  to  be  a  mortal  de- 
lusion, and  am  convinced  that  the  blood  of  souls  by 
thousands  is  chargeable  to  its  ignis-fatuus  corusca- 
tions !  The  assurance  of  Barclay  and  of  Friends 
generally  on  this  article  is  truly  wonderful!  After 


366 


affirming,  he  says  "truly,"  that  ''iliis  revelation  of 
God's  spirit"  is  that  without  which  there  is  no  saving 
knowledge,  he  avers,  as  follows;  "the  certainty  of 
which  truth  is  such,  that  it  hath  been  acknowledged 
by  some  of  the  most  refined  and  famous  of  all  sorts 
of  professors  of  Christianity  in  all  ages."  He  then 
tries,  awkwardly  enough,  to  reconcile  his  theory  with 
their  piety  and  salvation — whom  he  intends  to  ad- 
duce as  witnesses;  and  in  a  sort  succeeds.  But 
mark!  they  were  all  hireling  priests,  doctors,  and 
schoolmen,  whom  he  elsewhere  abundantly  denoun- 
ces ;  "justly  divests  of  the  noble  title  of  christians;''^ 
and  holds  up  to  popular  execration  as  the  corrupters 
of  Christianity !  Noic  he  needs  their  aid  ;  and  as 
they  have  all  spoken  of  the  excellency  of  the  Spirit's 
influences,  yea,  of  their  necessity  too,  he  first  can- 
onizes— how  safe  they  are — and  then  quotes  them ! 
Reader,  take  their  names  ;  Augustine,  Clemens 
Alexaiidrinus,  Tertullian,  Hierom,  Athanasius, 
Gregory  the  Great,  Cyrillus  Alexandrinus,  Ber- 
nard, Luther,  Melancthon,  Calvin,  Dr.  Smith  of 
Cambridge,  Plotinus,  and  Origen.  All  these,  with 
the  exception  of  Plotinus,  (a  heathen  platonic  phi- 
losopher of  the  third  century,  who  much  more  pro- 
bably held  the  doctrine  of  Barclay  than  the  others,) 
believed  in  the  paramount  authority  of  scripture  ; 
in  the  subserviency  of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  to 
the  progress  of  revealed  truth ;  in  the  pestilent  en- 
thusiasm of  all  pretension  to  "inward  objective 
manifestations "  of  the  Spirit ;  and  in  the  total 
darkness  of  every  human  mind  that  is  not  convert- 
ed through  the  gospel,  to  "the  marvellous  light" 


367 


of  God.  Quakerism  indeed  did  not  arise  till  more 
than  a  century  after  the  Reformation  ;  still,  we  can 
judge  from  no  uncertain  premises,  that  the  Fathers 
of  that  age  of  glorious  memory  would  (more  than 
any  other  men  perhaps  whose  piety  is  admitted  by 
Barclay)  have  denounced  his  doctrine  in  no  mea- 
sured terms.  He  has  culled  some  of  their  loose 
and  hortatory  notices  of  the  excellency  of  the  Spi- 
rit's influence,  has  translated  them — I  think — icith 
some  accommodation,  and  then  strung  them  together 
as  witnesses  for  his  doctrine!  The  zealots,  Stork, 
Stubner,  Cellary,  Munzer,  and  others,  whose  se- 
raphic enthusiasm  clouded  the  Reformation  and 
seems  for  a  time  to  have  confounded  Melancthon 
and  the  Elector  of  Saxony,  were  in  their  preten- 
sions the  similars  of  Friends  ;  hence  the  judgment 
of  Luther  in  their  case  is  in  point,  as  it  condemn- 
ed them  for  impostors,  and  that  on  the  sole  au- 
thority of  scripture  ;  a  test  to  which  they  were  sub- 
limely unanxious  to  be  subjected. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  the  scripture  authori- 
ties quoted  in  Barclay.  Unmystically  interpreted, 
they  are  loved,  as  well  as  understood,  by  his  pro- 
testant  opponents.  And  what  in  sound  argument 
do  they  yield  him,  till  he  has  shown  a  perfect 
agreement  in  nature  between  his  view  of  the  Spirit 
and  the  scripture  view  of  the  Spirit  \  To  me  (and 
I  have  studied  the  subject  with  full  conviction  for 
more  than  twenty  years)  the  two  doctrines  appear 
just  as  different,  and  just  as  much  hostile  and  mu- 
tual rivals,  as  are  a  piece  of  gold  coined  by  the 
government  and  legitimated  among  the  people  and  * 


368 


a  brazen  counterfeit  that  claims  an  equal,  nay,  a 
much  superior  currency. 

Before  I  leave  this  point  I  would  solemnly  warn 
the  christian  community  against  a  specious  decep- 
tion. It  has  been  very  successfully  and  very  ex- 
tensively practised  already.  Friends  will  proba- 
bly say  of  the  author,  Why !  he  criminates  all  oth- 
er denominations,  as  much  as  he  does  us.  For 
the  church  of  England,  the  Baptists,  [and  just  as 
much  the  Preshjterians,']  and  others,  hold  to  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit  also.  I  reply  1.  This  is 
only  deception  and  evasion.  The  view  of  Friends 
is  their  own  foxian  view,  and  not  ours  at  all ! 
There  is  utter  contrariety  in  nature,  as  well 
as  difference,  between  the  catholic  view  and  that 
of  Friends.  Does  the  former  inculcate  immedi- 
ate inspiration,  as  indispensahle  to  a  preacher,  and 
to  "  the  building  up  of  true  faith,"  so  that  without 
it,  all  is  vain  ]  or  that  the  scriptures  are  "  a  secon- 
dary rule"  merely,  and  to  be  so  " esteemed  T'  or 
that  their  'paramount  is,  by  the  Spirit,  inserted,  as 
a  seed,  light,  and  so  forth,  in  every  man  that  ever 
was  born^  or  that  this  non-entity  is  itself  the  very 
vital  influence  of  the  Spirit"!  or  that  our  great 
DUTY  is,  to  "retire  inwardly"  and  let  it  "expand 
and  take  the  government  V  Does  the  catholic 
view  admit  that  all  other  ways  of  concurrence 
with  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  except  that  of  "si- 
lent waiting "  on  "  the  immediate  drawing  and 
moving  of  the  Spirit"  and  his  influences  necessa- 
rily sensible,''''  "are  to  be  denied,  rejected,  and 
separated  from,  in  this  day  of  his  spiritual  aris- 


369 


mg  ?"  does  it  deny  the  scriptures  to  be  "  the  word 
of  God,  the  only  infalhble  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice 1"  Does  it  make  the  Spirit,  i.  e.  God  himself— 
a  rule  of  action  and  the  highest  rule  1  Does  it 
find  out  a  way  of  salvation  for  Turks,  Jews,  and 
Heathen  of  all  sorts,  without  the  gospel,  and 
by  "  inward  objective  manifestations  in  the  heart  1" 
I  reply  2.  That  I  know  of  no  more  palpable  dis- 
honest?/ of  argument  than  theirs,  (unless  their  in- 
spired ignorance  may  palliate  the  crime — as  it  can 
no  more — for  their  ignorance  is  itself  a  transcen- 
dent crime  in  the  eyes  of  God,)  when  they  dare 
to  identify  their  view  of  the  Spirit's  influences,  with 
that  of  "the  common  faith!"  It  is  just  as  much 
like,  as — folly  is  like  wisdom ;  or  "  Lucifer  fallen  " 
resembles  "  the  son  of  the  morning,"  when  he 
shone  among  the  stars  of  God !  The  things  are 
two,  not  one ;  they  are  contrary,  not  identical ; 
they  are  as  different  as  inspired  presumption  and 
most  ignorant  '  sincerity '  are  different  from  the 
"truth  and  soberness"  of  Christianity. 

There  is  one  class  of  texts,  by  which  Friends 
defend  their  tenets  ;  such  as  this,  for  example,  that 
Christ  has  promised  "to  be  to  them  mouth  and 
wisdom,  tongue  and  utterance,"  (see  orthodox  tes- 
timony, 1830,)  whenever  they  preach  ;  which  class 
it  is  exceedingly  difficult  for  me,  as  an  uninspired 
biblical  student,  to  expound.  I  will  promise  to  do 
it,  however,  on  one  condition — that  they  will  lend 
me  a  concordance  that  contains  them !  the  one  above 
cited,  is  re7-y  often  quoted,  "  with  indubitable  clear- 
ness and  infallible  certainty,"  by  their  inspired 

47 


370 


holders  forth  ;  and  hence  it  convinces  all  mightily, 
that  eacli  one,  when  speaking,  is  an  example  of  its 
truth.  Now,  /  can  account  for  all  they  say,  much 
better,  on  any  other  supposition,  than  that  of  di- 
vine inspiration  !  Let  them  cease  to  injure  others 
so  much,  as  to  aver  that  tJieir  view  of  the  Spirit's 
influence,  is  at  one  with  the  view  of  protestant 
christians  generally.  I  know  of  no  two  senti- 
ments, held  by  different  religionists  on  the  same 
subject,  more  radically  hostile  and  utterly  diverse, 
than  theirs  and  oars  on  that  grand  article  !  Theirs 
too  pervades  and  characterizes,  as  the  grand  er- 
ror of  the  system,  its  total  volume.  It  absorbs 
every  thing  within,  as  the  great  sepulchre  where 
all  is  buried  "  in  silence  !"  What  is  not  within  ? 
Is  it  the  Lord's  supper,  or  Baptism,  or  justification, 
or  light,  or  the  great  "  Teacher  that  cannot  be  re- 
moved in  a  corner,"  or  the  strivings  of  the  Spirit,  or 
the  ministry  of  condemnation  and  righteousness, 
or  the  seed,  life,  power,  grace,  principle,  inspira- 
tion, and  so  forth — to  the  end  of  the  inspired  vo- 
cabulary 1  Friends  often  speak  of  sins  to  be 
"  winked  at ;"  as  if  God  winked  at  them  ;  and  as  if 
they  did  not  icholly  pervert  the  sense  of  Acts,  17  : 
30,  which  they  assume  to  use  and  explain.  It 
means  only  that  in  former  times  God  did  not,  as 
now  notably  he  does,  send  out  an  official  protest 
and  a  demonstration  of  the  preached  gospel,  against 
all  the  wickedness  of  men  !  and  not  that  he  ever 
connived  ahsolutcly  at  sin,  though  he  can  pardon  it 
through  the  sacrifice  of  his  own  Son.  It  means 
that  in  other  times  he  practically  overlooked  {hm^i- 


371 


$ov,  see  Doddridge  ;  note  in  loco)  the  sins  of  men, 
or  seemed  to  care  nothing  about  them  :  "  but  now 
commandeth  all  men  every  where  to  repent." 

Now  let  us  briefly  try  the  question,  Did  the  apos- 
tles, with  Christ  at  their  head,  actually  preach  on 
the  principle  of  the  inward  light  as  laid  down  in 
the  Apology?  This  question  I  have  had  in  my 
eye  and  in  my  heart,  ever  since  by  the  grace  of 
God  I  came  to  know  him  in  truth  :  for,  "w^hen  it 
pleased  God,  who  separated  me  from  my  mother's 
womb  and  called  me  by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his  Son 
in  me  that  I  might  preach  him  among  "  my  coun- 
trymen ;  as  the  revelation  and  the  vocation  came 
only  through  the  outward  "objective  manifesta- 
tions" of  his  written  word  and  ordinances,  so  "im- 
mediately I  conferred  not  with  flesh  and  blood  ;" 
but  set  myself  to  the  devout  and  prayerful  perusal 
of  his  own  incomparable  oracles  ;  saying,  "  Deal 
bountifully  with  thy  servant,  that  I  may  live  and 
keep  thy  word.  Open  thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may 
behold  wondrous  things  out  of  thy  law.  I  am  a 
stranger  in  the  earth  :  hide  not  thy  commandments 
from  me.  My  soul  breaketh  for  the  longing  that 
it  hath  unto  thy  judgments  at  all  times.  Thou 
hast  rebuked  the  proud  that  are  cursed,  who  do 
err  from  thy  commandments.  Remove  from  me 
reproach  and  contempt ;  for  I  have  kept  thy  testi- 
monies. Princes  also  did  sit  and  speak  against 
me  :  but  thy  servant  did  meditate  in  thy  statutes. 
Thy  testimonies  also  are  my  delight  and  my  coun- 
sellors." Psalm  119:  17-24. 

All  men  are  not,  from  whatever  cause,  qualified 


372 


to  discriminate  truth,  and  judge  principles :  but  to 
those  whose  intelligence  is  mature  and  who  love 
the  God  of  scripture — and  to  none  others — do  I 
make  the  present  appeal,  to  judge  in  this  matter 
the  pretensions  of  Quakerism  !  For  one,  my  own 
conviction  has  steadily  increased  ;  while  my  an- 
guish is  also  increased  that  so  many  gifted  and 
socially  lovely  characters  should  be  careering  to 
eternity  in  the  confidence  of  the  light  within !  The 
excellent  late  Dr.  Waugh  of  London  felt  the  same  ; 
when  called  to  preach  in  a  certain  sea-port  village 
where  many  Friends  reside,  he  used  the  follow- 
ing pertinent  figure,  in  a  benevolent  lament  at 
their  infatuation  in  superseding  the  true  gospel  of 
Christ.  For  the  truth  of  the  anecdote,  I  can 
vouch  ;  having  received  the  account  from  a  re- 
spected brother  in  the  ministry,  who  enjoyed  the 
friendship,  and  was  acquainted  with  the  person,  of 
the  good  Doctor ;  whom  George  III.  is  said  great- 
ly to  have  revered,  going  sometimes  incognito  to 
hear  him  and  calling  him  the  King  of  Dissen- 
ters. The  words  are  my  own  :  "  I  am  told,  my 
friends,  that  your  harbor  is  dangerous  ;  that  it 
abounds  in  shoals,  rocks,  and  breakers,  which 
many  a  skilful  mariner  has  braved  in  vain  ;  that 
there  have  been  numerous  dismal  shipwrecks  on 
your  immediate  coast ;  but  that  of  late  there  are 
proportionately  few !  Do  you  know  the  reason  ] 
Doubtless  you  do.  The  authorities  of  the  country 
have  at  great  expense  humanely  erected  a  large 
light-house,  towering  to  the  sky  and  shedding 
without  change  its  faithful  radiance  far  and  wide 


373 


on  the  ocean.  Now,  the  pilots  can  bring  a  vessel 
into  moorings  almost  with  no  inconvenience  ;  and 
simply  by  steering  according  to  that  fixed  and 
friendly  light.  This  you  know.  But  what  would 
you  think  of  a  proud  East  Indiaman,  with  a  rich 
freight  on  board,  who,  getting  a  strange  aversion 
to  that  light,  should  light  a  taper  in  the  cabin  and 
steer  by  the  light  within  ?  Would  you  not  remon- 
strate, if  you  could  I  But  suppose  you  had  remon- 
strated in  vain,  what  would  you  apprehend  from 
such  hardihood  I  What,  but  shivered  timbers  and 
a  dismal  wreck,  since  all  experience  is  in  favor  of 
the  light-house  as  the  only  safe  mark  to  steer  by  1 
And  I,  my  friends,  am  afraid  of  some  of  you  in  this 
village  ;  afraid  that  your  hopes  and  souls  will  pe- 
rish on  the  rocks  of  error.  Instead  of  steering  for 
the  haven  of  eternity  by  the  light-house  of  the  Bi- 
ble, which  the  Eternal  King  has  provided  to  that 
very  end  ;  you  are,  I  hear,  many  of  you  who  re- 
side in  this  place,  abandoning  your  course  to  the 
uncertain  and  insufficient  guidance  of  a  light  with- 
in !   Alas  !  for  the  freight,  the  precious  freight !" 

But  to  the  trial  of  the  question.  I  first  ask,  what, 
on  the  Friends^  theory,  ought  we  to  expect  of  con- 
sistent men  who  were  inspired  to  preach  the  truth  ? 
Undoubtedly,  their  preaching  ought  all  to  point, 
like  so  many  concentric  rays,  to  the  focus  of  the 
inward  light ;  they  ought  to  apprise  men  of  its  ex- 
istence, explain  its  nature,  and  exhort  them  to  fol- 
low its  suggestions.  Thus  Barclay,  in  his  address 
to  Charles  II.  notwithstanding  the  known  profligacy 
of  that  wicked  prince,  tells  him  of  that  light  that 


3T4 


'*  shineth  in  his  conscience  :"  terms  it  the  Light  of 
Christ ;  exhorts  him  to  "  apply  himself  to  it,"  and 
follow  it  as  an  unflattering  and  all-sufficient  guide. 
So  did  not  the  apostles.  So  did  not  their  Lord ! 
They  did  indeed  say  to  the  visible  church  that  Christ 
was  in  them,  except  they  were  reprobates;  but 

NEVER  THAT    ChRIST  WAS    IN  REPROBATES  !  The 

distinction  of  Barclay  here  between  the  inbeing  and 
inhabitation  of  Christ  is  a  piece  of  learned  fustian, 
a  miserable  evasion  ;  and  reminds  one  of  his  Je- 
suitical education  !  See  his  words  after  vehiculum 
Dei  below. 

The  apostles  preached  that  "  God  now  commands 
all  men  every  where  to  repent ;"  no  notice  of  the 
light.  Christ  testified  that  they  should  "  all  perish," 
except  they  repented.  Their  common  doctrine  of 
regeneration  is  very  adverse  to  the  idea  of  Friends. 
Instead  of  telling  men  that  the  seed  is  in  them,  and 
must  be  cherished  and  made  to  grow  ;  they  told 
them  that  they  were  all  sinners,  "  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins,"  and  must  be  totally  changed  in 
their  moral  nature,  or  perish  ;  without  one  glance 
at  any  such  thing  as  the  seed!  The  order  of  God, 
which  they  every  where  resounded,  was.  Repent 
AND  BELIEVE  THE  GOSPEL.  Paul  indeed  told  the 
Athenians  that  God  is  "  not  far  from  every  one  of 
us  ;"  and  here  what  a  fine  opening  he  had  for  the 
seed  doctrine  !  how  he  m'ght  have  added,  in  Bar- 
clay's words,  by  way  of  explanation,  for  "  a  divine 
spiritual,  and  supernatural  light  is  in  all  men ; 
which  light  or  seed  is  vehiculum  Dei ;  as  God  and 
Christ  dwclleth  in  it,  and  is  never  separated  from 


375 


it ;  and  as  it  is  received  a7id  closed  icith  in  the  heart, 
Christ  comes  to  he  formed  and  brought  forth.''^  In- 
stead of  this,  his  explanation  is  merely  of  the  natu- 
ral presence  and  ubiquity  of  God  ;  "  for  in  him  we 
live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being  :"  Mark  !  we 
as  creatures  are  in  God,  not  God  in  us:  "for  we 
are  all  his  offspring."  The  apostles  preached  that 
"  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness  ;  that  every 
mouth  shall  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  become 
guilty  before  God  ;  that  the  friendship  of  the  world 
is  enmity  with  God  ;  that  God  so  loved  the  world 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
helieveth  in  him  might  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life  ;  that  the  stone  which  was  set  at  naught 
of  the  builders,  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner ; 

NEITHER  IS  THERE  SALVATION  IN  ANY  OTHER  :  for 
THERE  IS  NONE  OTHER  NAME  UNDER  HEAVEN  given 

among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved  ;  that  this 
is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal 
life ;  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son  :  he  that  hath  the 
Son,  hath  life ;  and  he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of 
God,  hath  not  life  ;  that  he  that  believeth  not  the 
gospel,  shall  be  damned ;  and  that  the  wicked 
shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his 
power,  when  he  comes  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints, 
and  to  be  admired  in  them  that  believe ;"  and  that 
to  reject  or  sophisticate  the  gospel  is  the  criterion  of 
eminent  wickedness. 

In  all  these  specimens  of  genuine  inspiration,  as 
taken  from  the  preaching  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles, 
it  is  observable  that  not  only  is  nothing  said  about 


376 


this  seed  or  light  of  Friends,  either  in  a  way  of 
reprehension  or  expUcation  or  alhision,  but  the  pro- 
positions themselves  exclude  the  possibility  of  its 
existence.  They  preached  an  outwakd  Christ  to 
a  world  inwardly  dark  and  lost ;  even  "  as  JNIoses 
lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness  ;"  they  directed 
men  to  look  out  of  themselves  for  salvation,  to  "  Jesus 
Christ  and  him  crucified,"  whom  they  preached  as 
the  only  hope  of  the  world ;  they  called  upon  men 
to  exercise  "repentance  toward  God  and  faith  to- 
ward om-  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;"  and  they  fully  warned 
the  impenitent  and  the  unbelieving  not  only  of  the 
terrible  guilt  of  their  courses,  but  of  eternal  damna- 
tion as  the  certain  consequence  of  remaining  in  them. 
I  will  add,  if  there  was  any  sin  that  induced  the  more 
dreadful  denunciations  of  these  missionaries  of  hea- 
ven, it  was  undoubtedly  the  sin  of  corrupting  the 
doctrines  of  religion.  How  tremendous  are  the 
rebukes  of  Jesus  Christ  against  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  for  neglecting,  superseding,  or  misinter- 
preting, the  holy  scriptures  !  Read  the  seventh  of 
Mark,  and  the  twenty-third  of  Matthew,  and  ponder 
their  meaning,  ye  who  doubt  it.  Again,  take  one 
example  of  the  preaching  of  Paul,  which  is  applica- 
ble too,  to  all  modern  corrupters,  and  tremble  for 
them  that  vitiate  the  gospel.  Acts,  13  ;  10.  full 
of  all  subtlety,  and  all  mischief,  thou  child  of  the 
devil,  thou  enemy  of  all  righteousness,  wilt  thou 

NOT   CEASE  TO   PERVERT  THE  RIGHT  WAYS   OF  THE 

Lord  V  He  then  smote  him  with  blindness  by  mi- 
raculous agency;  and  all  this  because  he  "with- 
Btood  them,  seeking  to  turn  away  the  deputy  from 


377 


the  faith."  If  it  be  such  sin  to  "turn  away"  one 
soul  "  from  the  faith,"  what  kind  of  responsibility  is 
theirs  who  actually  divert  thousands  from  the  same  ] 
I  come  now  to  show 

VII.  The  fallacy  of  all  the  evidence  upon 
which  the  doctrine  affects  to  he  supported  hy  scripture. 

This  proposition  might  imply  or  seem  to  require 
that  I  must  follow  them  in  the  examination  of  all 
the  evidence  which  they  adduce,  in  order  to  evince 
its  fallacy.  Bat  this  were  perhaps  impossible  ;  since 
there  is  plainly  no  end  to  the  perversion  of  the  sense 
of  scripture,  by  the  application  to  its  pages  of  some 
fond  and  false  principles  of  interpretation.  There 
never  was  a  book  more  susceptible  of  specious  per- 
version than  the  Bible.  Not  that  it  is  waxen  and 
flexible  in  its  own  native  structure.  Just  the  reverse. 
But  there  are  many  causes  which  enable  a  wrong- 
headed  fanciful  expounder  to  wrest  its  meaning  with 
plausibility  and  verisimilitude.  The  ancientness  of 
the  style ;  the  peculiarities  of  the  Jewish  nation  to 
whom  it  was  first  communicated  ;  the  facts  and  usa- 
ges of  oriental  antiquity;  the  dependence  of  its  parts 
on  each  other  ;  the  truth-fraught  boldness  of  its 
phraseology;  the  latitude  and  strength  of  its  figures ; 
the  fulness  of  its  mercy ;  and  other  characteristics  not 
to  be  numbered ;  so  appear  on  the  face  of  its  pages,  as 
to  give  ample  scope  to  the  action  of  a  lawless,  theory- 
loving,  imaginative  mind,  and  seem  (and  only  seem) 
to  yield  to  an  influence  upon  them,  all  plastic  and 
coercive,  which  the  graceless  interpreter  ingeniously 
emits.  But  let  it  be  remembered  that  if  probation 
is  here,  retribution  is  hereafter.    Every  thing  in  the 

4S 


378 


divine  constitution,  and  the  Bible  more  especially,  is 
purposely  designed  to  try  the  reins  and  heart ;  and 
while  God  gives  all  needed  scope  to  the  exercise  of 
our  moral  powers,  and  preserves  perfect  our  proper 
freedom,  he  proportionately  augments  our  personal 
responsibility  !  Wo  be  to  the  sinnerwhose  rashness 
or  whose  malevolence  trifles  with  the  truth  of  Jeho- 
vah and  vitiates  the  meaning  of  his  written  oracles  ! 
The  Bible  is  capable  of  the  most  clear,  full,  and  sa- 
tisfactory exposition.  Holy  ingenuousness  of  heart, 
and  a  w^ell  disciplined  mind,  are  the  grand  qualifi- 
cations of  an  interpreter.  Learning,  patience,  col- 
lateral helps,  a  knowledge  of  the  hermeneutic  art 
founded  as  it  is  on  the  soundest  principles  of 
science,  a  correct  philosophy,  and  especially  a 
thorough  and  critical  knowledge  of  the  original 
languages  ;  these  are  subordinate,  but  most  desira- 
ble ;  and  for  a  public  teacher  of  religion  they  are  to 
a  certain  degree  indispensable  qiialijicatiotis.  May 
the  church  be  ever  saved  from  the  interpretation  of 
*  sincere'  and  blundering  ignorance  ! 

To  say  this,  is  consistent  for  us,  who  profess  an 
utter  indebtedness  to  the  scriptures  for  all  we  have 
of  divine  revelation.  But — Friends — their  relation 
is  widely  different  every  way  to  that  Book  of  Books. 
One  would  be  likely  to  inquire  why  they  value 
scripture  supports,  conjectured  or  real,  even  as 
much  as  they  appear  to  do,  seeing  they  are  so  sub- 
limely furnished,  every  man  "under  his  own  vino 
and  his  own  fig-tree,"  with  a  private  supply  of  pa- 
ramount authority  and  excellence  !  But  they  do 
indeed  affirm  that  the  scripture  teaches  their  very 


379 


doctrine.  They  name  the  texts  that  contain  a  tes- 
timony to  their  creed  of  a  universal  inward  hght, 
and  refer  us  to  them  with  as  much  confidence  as  if 
«ny  such  doctrine  was  soberly  taught  in  the  word  of 
God  ;  or  as  if  now  they  beUeved  the  Bible  to  be  of 
supreme  authority.  I  commence  by  flatly  denying 
their  assertion :  and  am  bold  to  pledge  myself  that 
there  is  not  one  text  in  the  ichole  Bible  that,  in  its 
native  and  proper  import,  contains  any  such  doc- 
trine. Nay,  more  ;  I  aver  that  any  other  heresy  that 
ever  darkened  the  air,  is  just  as  able  to  support  it- 
self on  the  basis  of  the  Bible,  as  the  awful,  good- 
looking,  pestilential  heresy  of  Quakerism.  The  re- 
sult is  that  the  text  must  first  be  perverted  in  its 
meaning  (and  that  may  be  done  in  many  ways)  be- 
fore it  favors  the  doctrine  of  Friends. 

Barclay's  sixth  proposition,  after  blaming  his 
Arminian  allies,  the  Remonstrants  of  Holland,  for 
that  in  which  they  had  been  chiefly  wanting,  in 
that,  though  they  had  said  so  many  good  things 
that  suited  him,  they  have  erred  in  affirming  "the 
absolute  necessity  of  the  outward  knowledge"  of 
the  gospel ;  (where  they  were  manifestly  evangelical 
and  right ;)  concludes  with  a  censure  of  them  "  and 
many  other  assertors  of  Universal  Redemption,  in 
that  they  have  not  placed  the  extent  of  this  salva- 
tion in  that  divine  and  evangelical  principle  of  light 
and  life,  wherewith  Christ  hath  enlightened  every 
man  that  comes  into  the  world  ;  which  is  excellently 
and  evidently  held  forth  in  these  scriptures  ;  Gen. 
6  :  3.  Deut.  30  :  14.  John  1  :  7,  8,  9.  Rom.  10  :  8. 
Tit.  2  :  11." 


380 


In  this  passage  of  the  Apology,  and  in  a  very 
formal  part  of  it,  (in  a  proposition,  not  the  discus- 
sion of  it,  in  the  conclusion  of  one  of  his  theses  the- 
ologicae,^  we  have  some  six  or  seven  verses  selected 
from  the  whole  Bible,  which — he  says — contain  the 
proof  that  outward  knowledge  of  the  gospel  is  not 
necessary  ;  that  the  extent  of  Christ's  salvation  is 
placed  in  the  inward-light  principle  which  is  in 
every  man  ;  and  all  this  "  is  excellently  and  evi- 
dently held  forth "  in  the  passages  he  has  cited. 
To  these  then  let  us  go,  much  in  the  order  pro- 
pounded, to  see  this  blazing  and  excellent  evidence, 
which,  we  believe,  was  all  in  his  own  enlightened 
imagination.  After  considering  these,  we  shall  no- 
tice a  few  other  of  their  vaunted  proof-texts.  Why 
should  any  man  be  allowed  to  vend  such  ruinous 
imposture,  without  animadversion? 

1.  We  begin  with  Gen.  6:3.  "  And  the  Lord 
said,  my  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man ; 
for  that  he  also  is  flesh  :  yet  his  days  shall  be  an 
hundred  and  twenty  years."  Barclay's  comment,  in 
discussing  his  proposition,  is  simply  thisj  so  far  as 
interpretation  extends ;  "  my  Spirit  shall  not  al- 
ways strive  in  man ;  for  so  it  ought  to  be  trans- 
lated." Why  did  he  not  condescend  to  give  us 
some  proof  of  this  /  He  makes  an  assertion,  bold, 
new,  contrary  to  received  opinion,  based  on  philo- 
logical criticism  or  the  implication  of  it,  a  most  im- 
portant assertion  and  one  fundamental  to  his  in- 
ternal scheme  ;  and  yet,  never  offers  a  single  par- 
ticle of  proof  of  his  version  !  This  might  answer,  if 
he  was  really  inspired  to  say  so  :  but  then  he  ought 


381 


to  work  a  miracle  to  prove  his  inspiration.  Other- 
wise we  must  just  treat  him  hke  another  man. 
Mark  !  the  point  of  difference  here  is  not  whether 
the  Spirit  strives  with  men  !  This  is  admitted.  But 
it  is  whether  he  strives  in  every  man  and  without 
outward  means,  according  to  the  scheme  of  the  in- 
ward hght?  So  says  Barclay  : — he  asserts  that  he 
does.  We  call  for  proof : — there  is  none  '.  Why  then 
does  not  his  assertion  fall  by  its  own  sluggishness, 
having  nothing  to  support  it  1  O — Because  he  is 
inspired !  We  call  again  for  proof : — there  is 
NONE  !  Why  then  must  we  believe  him  ?  Is  it  be- 
cause he  was  so  learned  \  We  answer,  whatever 
his  general  learning  might  have  been,  it  was  all 
nothing  unless  he  was  specially  well  versed  in  He- 
brew philology  and  criticism ;  and  even  then  his 
assertion  is  insufficient.  When  a  man  tells  how  a 
text  ought  to  be  translated,  a  most  important  text 
and  a  most  cardinal  alteration,  and  yet  gives  us  not 
one  syllable  of  evidence  on  which  to  found  his  as- 
sertion, we  ought  to  be  wont  to  defer  very  much 
indeed,  censurably  much,  to  his  lore  and  correctness 
as  a  Hebrean,  or  more  to  his  inspiration,  in  order 
to  give  any  confidence  at  all  to  his  opinion  !  Bar- 
clay's Hebrew  knowledge  however  is  very  question- 
able. It  is  my  opinion  that  he  knew  little  or  nothing 
of  the  language. 

Our  translation  of  the  original  word  O^^^^,  ren- 
dered in  our  Bible  with  man,  may  safely  be  pro- 
nounced a  correct  one.  If  there  be  a  question  in 
the  case,  it  all  turns  on  the  first  letter  of  the  word. 
The  prepositional  prefix  y  is  rendered  with  by 


382 


our  translators  and  in  by  Barclay.  He  says  it  ought 
to  be  in.  But  how  does  he  know  this  1  Is  it  be- 
cause the  letter  means  in  and  only  in,  accord- 
ing to  general  grammatical  usage,  when  so  prefixed 
to  nouns  1  If  this  icere  a  fact,  it  would  seem  to  jus- 
tify his  assertion  and  greatly  assist  him.  But  the 
misfortune  of  his  predicament  is  that  the  fact  is 
otherwise.  To  mention  one  case  of  a  thousand,  it 
is  rendered  with  six  times  in  one  verse  ;  Exod. 
10  :  9.  D  means  almost  any  thing,  as  it  is  situated. 
It  is  a  preposition  of  notoriously  large  and  generic 
signification.  One  must  always  look  at  the  nature 
of  the  case  to  know  how  to  render  it.  Our  Lexi- 
cons give  a  numerous  retinue  of  meanings  in  its 
defiinition.  Parkhurst  has  numerically  thirteen  ! 
For  the  sake  of  general  readers  we  will  state  them 
and  others.  In,  within,  among,  when,  because,  to, 
against,  with,  together  with,  concerning,  of,  into, 
by,  by  means  of,  after,  for,  on  account  of,  according 
to,  upon,  above,  are  all  given  as  forms  of  its  mean- 
ing in  different  circumstances.  Now  look  at  the 
assertion  !  He  takes  one  meaning  out  of  twenty, 
and  decides  without  any  reason  offered  that  such  is 
what  it  ought  there  to  have  !  The  Lexicon  of  Ge- 
senius  by  Gibbs  contains  the  following  remarks,  on 
2  as  a  prefix  preposition  ;  it  is  one  "  occurring  in 
various  connections  and  significations,  which  in 
other  languages  must  be  expressed  by  many  diffe- 
rent particles."  It  then  proceeds  to  give  the  dif- 
ferent meanings  and  formally  enumerates  nineteen 
with  references  and  proofs.  At  best  it  can  deter- 
mine nothing  in  the  case.    On  the  score  of  philo- 


383 


logy  therefore  the  assertion  of  Barclay  is  good  for 
nothing.  The  error  is  the  more  reprehensible  that 
the  matter  is  so  important !  It  is  all  in  the  contro- 
versy, if  it  decides  the  point  in  favor  of  his  doctrine 
of  the  light  within. 

I  allege  further  that  it  is  an  awkward  and  unna- 
tural rendering,  which  it  ought  not  to  have  ;  that 
there  is  no  necessity  of  supposing  any  immediate 
objective  manifestation  to  the  antediluvians  either 
within  or  without  them,  since  we  know  of  the  ex- 
istence of  mediate  ones,  quite  adequate  to  answer 
the  demands  of  the  case ;  and  that  there  is  nothing 
in  the  condition  of  the  church  or  of  mankind,  before 
the  scriptures  began  to  be  written,  that  requires  or 
warrants  the  theory  of  Friends.  A  word  on  each 
of  these,  superfluous  indeed  for  the  critic,  but  per- 
haps needful  for  others. 

(1)  The  passage  ought  not  to  be  rendered  as 
Barclay  decides,  because  his  way  is  awkward 
and  unnatural.  We  have  seen  that  there  exists 
no  grammatical  necessity  for  his  version.  I  now 
assert  that  it  is  destitute  of  all  intrinsic  propriety. 
The  sense  of  the  verse  is  liberally  this  :  3hj  Spirit 
shall  not  be  striving  with  man  forever  or  for  an 
indefinite  period  ;  for  he  is  mortal,  carnal,  rebel- 
lious :  I  will  bring  the  matter  to  some  end  and 
issue,  and  thence  appoint  him  120  years  of  further 
trial;  at  the  expiration  of  ichich  period  I  will 
drown  all  the  loorld  with  a  flood.  As  if  he  had 
said  /  icill  not  always  and  to  no  result  be  dealing 
WITH  man,  and  bearing  with  him.  My  Spirit  of 
truth  and  mercy  shall  not  always  be  treating,  and 


384 


striving,  and  forbearing,  with  him  to  no  purpose ; 
I  icill  take  measures  to  cut  it  short  in  judgment  : 
the  controversy/  shall  be  settled.    The  longevity  of 
the  antediluvians  made  such  a  procedure  aptly  pro- 
per ;  and  120  years  was  to  them  but  a  short  respite, 
so  long  was  their  life.    It  was  but  a  brief  appen- 
dix to  the  age  of  one  of  them  who  was  old  ;  but 
when  it  was  for  all,  young  and  old  together,  it  was 
solemn,  it  was  terrible !    The  reason  was,  and  this 
is  the  natural  rendering,  that  God  icoidd  not  be 
alicays,  and  to  no  result,  treating  and  contesting 
WITH  man.    In  common  negociations  between  con- 
tending parties,  it  is  common,  it  is  natural,  for  one 
of  them  to  say,  you  knoic  my  terms  ;  I  icill  not 
waste  time  or  dally  with  you,  as  if  this  treating 
WITH  you  were  to  continue  for  ever.    I  will  limit 
(I  time,  say  one  month,  within  which  you  must  de- 
cide.   This  will  better  appear,  when  we  consider, 
(2)  That  there  is  no  necessity  of  supposing 
any  "  liMJiEDiATE  objective  maiiifestation^^  to  the 
antediluvians,  either  within  or  without  them,  since 
WE  K.\ow  of  the  existence  of  mediate  ones,  quite 
adequate  lo  answer  the  demands  of  the  case.  We 
are  informed  of  the  preaching  of  Noah  to  them  ;  of 
the  vast  operations,  constantly  advancing  through 
the  whole  period,  in  the  building  of  the  ark,  which 
solemnly  warned  them  of  the  approaching  deluge  ; 
and  of  other  means  which  they  enjoyed  in  wonder- 
ful advantage  and  perfection  : — by  all  which  means 
the  Spirit  of  Jehovali  strove  with  that  evil  genera- 
tion. 

The  facilities  of  tradition,  connected  with  the  fact 


385 


of  genuine  and  decided  piety,  down  to  the  period  to 
which  the  text  refers,  and  even  after  it,  demonstrate 
the  plenitude  of  outward  means.  Our  positions  here 
are  that  outward  means  are  necessary ;  that  the 
word  of  God  is  the  grand  instrument  for  ever  ;  and 
that,  whether  this  word  he  written  or  spoken,  dehver- 
ed  by  oral  prophecy  or  oral  tradition,  it  is  the  out- 
wardly ministered  word  of  God,  and  not  any  in- 
ternal objective  manifestation  apart  from  it,  by  which 
his  Spirit  strives  with  men  in  all  ages.  We  believe 
indeed  in  the  inward  objective  manifestation  occa- 
sionally and  extraordinarily  made  to  his  prophets 
by  the  Spirit :  but  then  we  also  hold  that  these  were 
most  generally  made  to  be  written  or  spoken  for  the 
sake  of  others,  and  so  were  peculiar  to  the  prophet  as 
such  ;  of  course  they  were  not,  as  such,  a  universal 
inward  light;  and  when  communicated,  though  they 
were  objective,  they  were  not  immediate  ;  since  holy 
men  spake,  preached,  taught,  worshipped,  and  labor- 
ed for  the  souls  of  men  :  and  thus  God  strove  with 
them,  in  kind,  not  in  degree,  and  form,  exactly  as  he 
does  with  us.  Our  knowledge  of  those  ancient  ages  is 
indeed  very  general  and  limited.  But  it  is  not  there- 
fore indefinite  ;  we  know  enough  to  authorise  the 
inference  that  they  well  knew  the  will  of  God  by  or- 
dinary outward  means  and  the  occasional  inspiration 
of  a  prophet ;  either  (and  much  more  both)  of  which 
ways  shows  the  non-necessity  of  the  theory  of  F'riends 
to  account  for  the  whole  matter  ;  for  it  is  obvious  that 
Barclay  and  others  suppose  (wild  as  is  the  sentiment) 
that  the  mere  fact  that  God  strove  with  men,  and 
communed  with  them  by  his  Spirit,  before  the  serif  ^ 

49 


386 


tures  tcerc  written,  is  proof  positive  of  their  doctrine  ! 
This  might  be  probable,  if  we  could  think  of  no 
alternative  much  more  rational,  adapted  to  accounta- 
ble agency,  and  like  the  known  and  common  ad- 
ministration of  the  reigning  Jehovah.  But  suppose 
that  generation  had  all  been  cotemporary  with 
Adam,  Seth,  Enoch,  and  perhaps  thousands  of 
others,  who  were  truly  pious,  benevolent,  and  en- 
lightened in  the  ways  of  God  ;  was  there  any  ne- 
cessity that  the  inward  light  should  then,  more  than 
now,  be  afforded  to  make  them  completely  account- 
able, and  vindicate  the  moral  empire  of  God,  whose 
Spirit  strove  with  them  by  these  instruments  1  But 
their  common  longevity  made  them  almost  all 
cotemporary  tcith  each  other,  and  facilitated  the 
traditional  progress  of  knowledge  to  a  degree  of 
7chich  ice  can  scarcely  form  an  adequate  concep- 
tion !  The  fifth  chapter  of  Genesis  warrants  me  in 
saying  the  following  things,  according  to  the  strict 
calculations  ofsimple  arithmetic.  Noah  was  480  years 
old  when  the  period  of  awful  probation  commenced. 
He  was  born  only  126  years  after  the  death  of 
Adam.  He  was  cotemporary  with  Enos,  the  third 
from  Adam,  84  years  ;  and  with  all  his  other  an- 
cestors, after  Seth,  till  their  exit  from  the  world  : 
Seth  only  and  Adam  had  he  not  seen,  and  Seth 
died  only  14  years  previous  to  his  birth.  Enoch 
however,  who  was  translated  at  the  early  age  of 
365,  is  an  exception  to  the  above,  as  he  is  to  almost 
every  other  statement.  The  venerable  Methuselah 
survived  his  son  Lamech  about  five  years  ;  and  was 
cotemporary  with  Adam  243  years  and  with  his 


387 


grandson,  Noah,  600 :  as  he  died  the  very  year  of 
the  deluge  ;  and  most  probably  many  other,  pos- 
sibly thousands,  of  pious  persons,  shortly  before 
the  terrible  desolation  of  the  flood.  Let  us  re- 
member that  these  were  all  our  ancestors,  as  well 
as  of  Noah  and  of  Christ ;  let  us  consider  that  they 
were  men  like  ourselves,  only  that  their  prodigious 
vigor  of  body  and  mind  made  them  all  giants  in 
those  days,  of  whose  prowess  we  can  scarcely  form 
a  fitting  conception  :  let  us  recollect  that  God  has 
always  had  a  church  on  the  earth,  "  a  seed  to  serve 
him  "  that  is  "  accounted  to  the  Lord  for  a  genera- 
tion ;"  Psalm  22  :  30,  and  then  let  us  inquire,  is  it 
probable  that  their  need  of  the  Bible  was  as  great 
as  is  ours  1  had  they  not  traditional  helps  and  faci- 
lities altogether  peculiar  and  wonderful  for  the  pre- 
servation of  the  oral  word  of  God "!  and  if  any 
special  want  or  waning  of  knowledge  existed,  could 
not  God  inspire  a  prophet,  as  Enoch,  Noah,  or 
others,  to  speak  to  them  and  communicate  his  will  1 
Is  there  no  solution  in  reason  or  probability,  with- 
out that  wild  one  of  Friends  \  Must  we  suppose 
internal  objective  manifestations  in  every  man — a 
universal  inward  light,  in  order  to  understand  their 
easel  Is  there  no  way  in  which  the  Spirit  could 
strive  with  man,  unless  he  strove  in  man,  and  in 
every  man  of  that  age  \  How  then  does  the  pas- 
sage in  question  so  "  excellently  and  evidently  hold 
forth"  the  doctrine  of  Friends  1  I  solemnly  declare 
that  I  cannot  see,  and  do  not  at  all  believe,  that  it 
teaches  or  favors  in  the  least  any  such  doctrine  as 
that  which  Barclay's  sanguine  assertion  declares  it 


388 


so  excellently  and  evidently  to  inculcate !  The  Holy 
Ghost  is  said  to  be  resisted  or  striven  against  when 
a  prophet  of  God  dehvers  his  message  to  a  rebel- 
lious auditory  or  nation.  "  They  rebelled,  and 
vexed  his  Holy  Spirit :  therefore  he  was  turned  to 
be  their  enemy,  and  he  fought  against  them."  Is. 
63  :  10.  "  Since  the  day  that  your  fathers  came 
forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  unto  this  day  I  have 
even  sent  unto  you  all  my  servants  the  prophets, 
daily  rising  up  early  and  sending  them  :  yet  they 
hearkened  not  unto  me,  nor  inclined  their  ear,  but 
hardened  their  neck :  they  did  worse  than  their  fa- 
thers." Jer.  7  :  25,  26.  This  same  principle  is 
proved  in  the  concluding  words  of  Stephen  before 
the  council.  After  a  long  sermon,  made  up  al- 
most wholly  of  scripture  references,  in  which  he 
proved  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  and  confound- 
ed and  even  exasperated  (he  did  it  innocently) 
his  auditors  ;  he  perceived  their  perturbation  and 
their  malice,  and  thus  in  the  conclusion  of  his 
discourse  applied  the  subject :  "  Ye  stiff-necked, 
and  uncircumcised  in  heart  and  ears,  ye  do  al- 
ways RESIST  THE  HoLY  GhOST  :  AS  YOUR  FATHERS 

DID,  so  DO  YE.  Which  of  the  prophets  have  not 
your  fathers  persecuted  1  and  they  have  slain  them 
that  showed  before  of  the  coming  of  the  Just  One  ; 
of  whom  ye  have  been  now  the  betrayers  and  mur- 
derers ;  who  have  received  the  law  by  the  disposi- 
tion of  angels,  and  have  not  kept  it."  Acts,  7  : 
51-53.  On  this  excellent  and  evident  passage,  I 
remark,  (1)  that  the  hearers  of  Stephen  resisted 
the  Holy  Ghost,  not  as  inserted  in  them,  but  as 


389 


striving  from  without ;  they  resisted  him  in  his 
truth,  quoted  from  "  the  lively  oracles,"  as  Stephen 
calls  them,  (not  the  dead  letter,  as  Friends  alone 
call  them,)  and  ministered  by  a  living  preacher  t(» 
their  rebellious  "  heart  and  ears."  (2)  Stephen  says 
that  this  was  just  the  way  of  their  fathers !  Hence 
we  conclude  that  their  fathers  resisted  the  Holy 
Ghost  speaking  in  his  prophets  or  in  his  written 
lively  oracles.  He  adds  in  proof,  "  ichich  of  the 
prophets  have  not  your  fathers  persecuted  f  This 
is  "  evidently  and  excellently"  apparent  as  the  way 
of  the  Spirit's  striving,  and  the  way  of  resisting  his 
influences,  in  all  ages  of  the  world.  But  where 
now  is  the  mystical,  interior,  materializing  thing, 
called  universal  inward  light  ? 

Let  us  return  to  "  the  years  beyond  the  flood." 
If  it  be  demanded,  why  were  not  alphabetical 
writing  and  the  scriptures  introduced  sooner  in  the 
ages  of  the  world  1  I  answer.  The  relations  of 
TRUTH  WERE  FEWER  AND  SI3IPLER,  in  those  early 
periods  of  time ;  the  facts  that  make  up  the  sub- 
strate (if  I  may  so  speak)  of  scripture  history  had 
not  many  of  them  then  occurred  ;  it  was  suitable 
to  the  known  wisdom  of  the  divine  economy  gra- 
dually to  increase  revelation's  light,  and  multiply 
its  relations,  to  the  times  of  Messiah  ;  as  well  as 
to  converge  its  radiations  to  their  focus  on  Mount 
Calvary,  and  to  perpetuate  its  reflections  thence, 
through  the  medium  of  the  written  oracles,  the 
ministry  of  the  word,  and  the  christian  sacraments, 
to  the  end  of  time  :  while  the  singular  facility  of 
communicating  knowledge,  by  the  common  longevity 


390 


of  those  ancient  patriarchs,  completes  the  solution. 

The  building  of  the  ark  was  a  slow,  prodigious, 
and  portentous  operation.  First  and  last,  we  have 
reason  to  think,  it  filled  the  awful  interval  of  the  pe- 
riod, 120  years,  in  which  the  world  was  plainly  and 
externally  warned  of  the  approaching  inundation. 
The  matter  was  doubtless  understood,  and  most 
probably  derided  and  scorned  by  them  to  the  last. 
"  They  did  eat,  they  drank,  they  married  wives, 
they  were  given  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that 
Noah  entered  into  the  ark  ;  and  the  flood  came  and 
destroyed  them  all."  Luke,  17  :  27.  While  it 
evinces,  among  other  proofs,  the  advance  of  those 
"  awful  fathers  of  mankind,"  in  civilization  and  the 
arts,  that  such  a  structure  as  the  ark  could  be  rear- 
ed and  completed  at  all,  as  it  would  have  been  in 
any  age  a  wonder  greater  than  the  tomb  of  Mau- 
solus  ;  the  number  of  men  directly  and  indirectly 
engaged  in  its  fabrication  must  have  been  prodi- 
gious !  The  difficulty  stated  in  Calmet,  (see  arti- 
cle Ark,')  against  this  view  of  the  long  period  of  its 
building,  is  imaginary  ;  and  will  vanish  (though  you 
admit,  as  I  do  not,  his  premises)  simply  by  reading 
Gen.  6:18  prospectively  with  respect  to  his  sons, 
as  the  sense  and  the  words  plainly  require  :  so  that 
it  neither  concludes  nor  militates  against  the  gene- 
ral idea  of  expositors,  that  the  probationary  inter- 
val of  120  years  was  occupied  in  the  monitory  pre- 
paration of  the  ark.  And  what  was  the  intelligible 
motto  of  this  enterprise  \  What  the  meaning  of 
Noah's  conduct  in  its  prosecution  1  What  the 
speaking  portent  of  it  all  \    The  answer  is  at  hand. 


391 


"  By  faith  Noah,  being  warned  of  God  of  things 
not  seen  as  yet,  moved  with  fear,  prepared  an  ark 
to  the  saving  of  his  house,  by  the  which  he  con- 
demned the  world,  and  became  heir  of  the  righte- 
ousness which  is  by  faith."  Heb.  11  :  7,  Noah  also 
explained  himself,  unquestionably  :  for  he  was  a 
minister  of  religion,  a  man  of  resources  and  influ- 
ence, a  character  of  probity  and  renown,  and  as 
such  well  known  by  the  whole  world.  "  God  spar- 
ed not  the  old  world,  but  saved  Noah,  the  eighth 
person,  a  preacher  of  righteousness,  bringing  in 
the  flood  upon  the  world  of  the  ungodly."  2  Pet. 
2  :  5.  Thus  it  appears  that  the  whole  world,  by 
outward  means,  and  mainly  through  the  preaching 
of  Noah,  were  warned ;  were  rebellious  to  the 
known  will  of  God  ;  and  so  perished  for  ever.  This 
seems  to  be,  without  doubt,  the  purport  of  the  pas- 
sage in  1  Pet.  3  :  19,  20,  which  afiirms  that  those 
spirits,  once  rebellious  "while  the  ark  was  prepar- 
ing," are  now  "  in  prison,"  no  more  reached  with 
the  ministrations  of  mercy  and  the  offers  of  salva- 
tion. See  Macknight  in  loco.  It  affirms  that 
Chx'iBt  preached  to  them;  just  as  Paul  affirms  that, 
after  his  ascension,  Christ  "  came  and  preached 
peace  "  to  the  Ephesians  :  he  preached  to  these  by 
the  apostles  and  their  colleagues  ;  and  to  the  anti- 
delnvians  by  Noah  and  others.  Thus  the  adage. 
Quod  facit  per  alium,  facit  per  se  :  what  one 
does  by  another,  he  does  by  himself. 

From  all  this,  I  infer  that  those  ancients  had  a 
correct  knowledge  of  the  creation  of  the  world  ;  of 
the  temptation  and  fall  of  man  ;  of  the  promised 


392 


Messiah  ;  of  the  worship  and  murder  of  Abel  ;  of 
the  holy  Sabbath  ;  (compare  Gen.  2  :  2,  3.  8  :  10, 
12,  and  other  places  where  the  number  seven  was 
eminent  as  a  symbol  of  perfection  ;)  of  the  charac- 
ter, prophecy,  and  translation  of  Enoch  ;  of  the 
divine  institution  and  typical  import  of  sacrifices  ; 
of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit ;  of  the  perfections 
and  ways  of  Jehovah  ;  of  the  nature  of  religion  ; 
of  God's  "anger  with  them  ;  of  the  second  advent  of 
Christ  and  eternal  judgment ;  (see  Jude,  14,  15  ;) 
and  of  innumerable  other  things,  to  a  degree  far 
surpassing  in  some  respects  our  outward  privileges  ; 
and  all  this  without  any  implication  or  sanction  of 
the  fancy  of  an  internal  objective  light  whose  mani- 
festations were  given  to  every  man  on  the  globe. 

(3)  There  is  nothing  in  the  condition  of  the 
church  or  of  mankind,  before  the  scriptures  began 
to  be  icrilten,  that  requires  or  warrants  the  theory 
of  Friends. 

I  am  thus  extensive  on  this  point,  because  it  is 
one  in  which  the  genius  of  Quakerism  triumphs,  as 
if  all  its  rash  assumptions  were  infallible  truths. 
This  paper  need  not  be  loaded  with  quotations  from 
all  their  worhs  in  which  they  speak  of  periods  be- 
fore the  scriptures  brgan  to  be  ti  ritten,  as  those  in 
which  their  vieics  of  the  light  tcithin  must  be  ad- 
mitted. Who  spake  to  Abraham,  or  Noah,  or 
Enoch,  and  others,  say  they,  before  there  was  any 
Bible  1  And  how  did  those  patriarchs  manage 
who  had  no  Bible  and  yet  walked  with  God  I 
They  make  these  bold  appeals  just  as  if  their  ques- 
tions could  be  answered  only  by  admitting  their 


393 


answers  !  only  by  adopting  their  doctrine  !  only  by 
rejoicing  in  "  the  sparks  that  they  have  kindled  !" 
This  absurd  exultation  looks  so  much  like  evidence, 
argument,  demonstration,  in  the  eyes  of  those  who 
admit  their  inspiration  while  they  thus  exult,  that 
millions  are  captivated,  convinced,  converted,  and 
it  may  be  also  inspired,  when  they  witness  its 
imaginings. 

The  apostle  says  that  all  these  ancients  were  ac- 
tuated by  faith  ;  and  with  Barclay,  1  admit  that  the 
great  object  of  faith  then  and  since  is  "  Deiis  lo- 
quens,"  God  speaking.  But  cannot  God  speak  to 
us,  unless  he  speaks  in  us,  and  in  each  one  of  us  ? 
This  is  the  question :  and  until  they  actually  prove 
the  negative.  Friends  have  proved  nothing  to  the 
purpose.  Barclay  himself  admits  that  God,  in  all 
that  long  tract  of  time,  2500  years,  before  the  Bi- 
ble or  the  Pentateuch  was  given,  and  before  alpha- 
betical writing  was  known,  (or  revealed,  as  some 
think  it  was  of  inspired  original  and  fjst  made 
known  to  Moses,)  often  spake  to  men  by  the  minis- 
try of  angels,  by  "  outward  voices,  appearances, 
and  dreams,"  and  by  the  agency  of  human  preach- 
ers :  and  any  one  of  these  Jive  modes  will  account 
for  the  knowledge  and  piety  of  the  ancients,  with- 
out all  influence  or  agency  of  the  light  within  ! 
Hence  their  own  admissions  answer  their  appeals  : 
while  all  their  arguments  are  wholly  destitute  of 
proof  that  such  a  universal  internal  light,  or  seed, 
or  vehiculum  dei,  or  divine  emanation,  or  para- 
mount rule  of  action,  has  any  existence. 

Let  it  be  remembered  too  that  "  Noah  lived  after 

50 


394 


the  flood  350  years ;"  and  that  Abraham  was  born 
two  years  after  Noah's  death,  and  Hved  the  coteni- 
porary  of  Shem  150  years.  These  facts  might  be 
extended  :  but  enough  is  written  to  evince  that  tra- 
dition must  have  been  a  great  help  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world  to  the  time  of  Moses.  In 
his  time,  it  is  thought,  (see  Psalm  90,)  human  life 
was  reduced  to  nearly  its  present  span.  The  tra- 
dition of  theological  truth  could  come,  through 
faithful  channels,  from  Adam  to  Moses  by  six  or 
seven  steps!  and  none  can  doubt  the  interest  of 
those  ancient  Fathers  of  the  church  in  handing 
down,  from  sire  to  son,  a  pure  account  of  those 
wonders  and  truths  of  God  which  themselves  su- 
perlatively loved,  defended,  and  diffused.  Friends 
at  least  ought  to  admit  the  value  of  tradition,  since, 
to  the  exclusion  of  better  lights  in  our  day,  it 
makes  so  forceful  a  part  of  their  own  system  of 
education.  Besides,  in  the  period  (427  years)  af- 
ter the  flood  till  the  calling  of  Abraham,  the  tradi- 
tion, the  credit,  and  the  monuments,  of  that  terrific 
chapter  of  the  divine  judgments,  were  yet  recent 
and  unquestionable.  The  deluge  was  then  of  mo- 
dern memory.  The  fact  that  such  a  lesson  was  hy 
many  soon  forgot,  must  indeed  be  admitted :  it  is 
equally  criminal,  wonderful,  lamentable  !  But  this 
infers  nothing  against  the  sufficiency  of  the  means 
for  "retaining"  it  in  their  knowledge.  "Fortius 
they  willingly  are  ignorant  of,  that — the  world 
that  then  was,  being  overflowed  with  water,  per- 
ished." God  is  not  answ^erable  for  the  perverse 
inconsiderateness  of  men.    Where  the  evidence 


395 


is  sufficient  and  the  creatui'e  accountable,  God  is 
vindicated,  whatever  may  be  the  result.  The  light 
of  nature  every  where  teaches  more  than  men  any- 
where learn  from  it;  more  than  theologians  have 
generally  admitted ;  and  quite  sufficient  to  con- 
clude against  all  the  excuses  of  idolaters,  "all  the 
nations  that  forget  God,"  pre-eminently  all  the  ene- 
mies of  revelation.  This  light  does  not  interfere 
with  that  of  traditional,  any  more  than  with  that 
of  scriptural  truth.  And  here  it  requires,  me- 
thinks,  only  a  little  comprehension  of  the  facts  of 
the  case  and  a  little  ingenuousness  of  heart  to- 
ward God,  to  perceive  the  irrelevancy  of  the  theo- 
ry of  Friends,  the  non-necessity  of  their  universal 
inward  light.  I  have  bestowed  thus  much  to  the 
consideration  of  the  subject,  which  is  so  plain  and 
rational  as  represented  in  the  total  scope  of  scrip- 
ture that  the  theory  of  Friends  is  necessary  to 
make  rather  than  solve  its  difficulties ;  because 
with  them  it  is  a  capital  subject,  and  one  in  their 
view  quite  conclusive  against  the  paramount  claims 
of  "the  oracles  of  God." 

I  pass  to  the  next  passage,  in  which  Barclay  af- 
firms that  the  inward  light  is  so  "excellently  and 
evidently"  taught. 

2.  This  occurs  in  Deut.  30  : 14.  "  But  the  word 
is  very  nigh  unto  thee,  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy 
heart,  that  thou  mayest  do  it."  As  Rom.  10 :  8  is 
virtually  the  same  text,  or  rather  a  quotation  and 
amplification  of  the  first,  they  may  be  considered 
together ;  though  by  Barclay  separately  noted,  yet 
simply  in  the  order  of  priority  in  scripture.  With 


396 


regard  to  either  or  both  these  passages,  I  affirm 
that  they  neither  teach  nor  contain  the  doctrine  of 
Barclay.  Let  us  examine  them ;  and  first  that  in 
Romans. 

In  examining  this  passage,  it  would  be  preferable 
to  view  it  in  extenso  from  the  first  verse  of  the 
chapter  to  the  tenth.  The  eighth  verse,  however, 
is  the  hobby  of  Barclay.  "  The  word  is  nigh  thee, 
even  in  thy  mouth  and  in  thy  heart."  Quere,  Is 
the  inward  light  in  a  man's  mouth  \  Is  it  also  in 
his  heart  1  And  at  the  same  time  \  What  walk- 
ing temples  of  phosphorescence  must  we  be,  espe- 
cially some  of  us  ?  For  aught  one  knows  to  the  con- 
trary we  may  be  saturated  with  it,  as  men  on  glass 
with  electricity.  There  is  hardly  as  much  humor  as 
soberness,  to  a  reader  for  example  of  Fox's  jour- 
nal, in  the  thought  that  he  must  have  seemed  to 
himself,  as  he  walked  about  on  the  dark  earth,  like 
a  charged  conductor  of  etherial  light,  with  scinti- 
lations  of  glory  streaming  from  him  in  all  direc- 
tions. But  why  is  it  called  "  the  word  V  Why 
not  his  own  talismanic  name  of  "inward  light f 
The  charm  is  gone,  however,  as  soon  as  you  allow 
the  apostle  to  explain  his  own  words  ;  "  that  is,  the 

WORD  OF  FAITH  WHICH  WE  PREACH."      He  prOCCcds 

farther  to  explain  it  thus,  "  That  if  thou  shalt  con- 
fess with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  be- 
lieve in  thy  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from 
the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved  :  for  with  the  heart 
it  is  believed  unto  justification,  and  with  the 
mouth  it  is  confessed  unto  salvation."  The  liber- 
ty I  have  taken  with  the  tenth  verse,  is  one  to 


397 


which  no  honest  scholar  will  object ;  since  it  lite- 
ralizes  more  strictly,  as  well  as  better  renders  the 
sense  of  the  original.  How  the  word  came  "  nigh," 
is  told  us  by  the  implication  or  rather  the  very 
words  of  the  passage  ;  since  it  is  "  the  word  of 
faith  which  we  preach.''''  See  verse  15  also.  It  is 
in  the  heart,  when  it  is  there  "believed ;"  it  is  in  the 
mouth,  when '\\.  is  there  "confessed."  It  is  origi- 
nally then  in  neither.  Thus  says  God  to  Moses  ; 
Dent.  31  :  19.  "  Now  therefore  write  ye  this  song 
for  you,  and  teach  it  [to]  the  children  of  Israel : 
PUT  IT  IN  THEIR  MOUTHS,  that  this  song  may  be  a 
witness  for  me  against  the  children  of  Israel." 
Says  David  ;  "  Thy  word  have  I  hid  in  my  heart, 
that  I  might  not  sin  against  thee."  Ps.  119:  11. 
This  is  the  genuine  idea  of  "phylacteries"  (pre- 
servatives or  defenders)  and  the  proper  style  of 
wearing  them  about  with  us  !  And  again  ;  "  Take 
not  the  word  of  truth  utterly  out  of  my  mouth  ; 
for  I  have  hoped  in  thy  judgments."  43.  It  were 
well  if  Friends  should  ponder  that  Psalm,  with  its 
176  verses.  It  is  a  devotional  panegyric  (with 
eight  stanzas  for  every  letter  of  the  Hebrew  alpha- 
bet— an  acrostic  in  the  original)  on  the  written 
word  of  God,  as  essentially  subsidiary  to  vital 
piety  in  the  soul  ;  and  as  showing  the  way  of  the 
Spirit  in  its  production  there  ;  and  proving  illustri- 
ously how  a  truly  spiritual  worshipper  values  "the 
word,  the  testimonies,  the  statutes,  the  judgments, 
the  precepts,  the  laws,  the  sayings,"  of  God  !  How 
"  excellently  and  evidently  "  then  is  their  doctrine 
"held   forth"  by  Barclay's  vaporing  quotation! 


398 


What  a  deception  to  the  unwary,  to  the  ignorant 
and  unstable  !  What  a  sin  so  to  "wrest  the  scrip- 
tures ;"  and  to  do  it  under  the  forged  claim  of  in- 
spiration, the  more  to  blind  the  mythic  visionaries 
that  see  with  him  !  The  enemies  of  God  may  see 
no  sin  in  the  perversion,  as  they  see  comparatively 
none  in  themselves :  but  will  the  friends  of  God 
sympathize  or  symbolize  with  them  \ 

There  is  another  proof  to  the  same  end.  It  is 
taken  from  the  etymology  and  scriptural  usage  of 
the  expression,  here  rendered  in  the  chapter  four 
times,  "  the  word."  The  original  is  pr^^a,  not 
The  difference  is  that  the  former  means  specifically 
what  is  spoken,  enunciated  with  the  organs  of  the 
voice  ;  and  occurs  in  the  New  Testament  (I  have 
counted  and  examined  them)  about  70  times.  The 
latter  is  more  generic  and  extensive  :  it  means  doc- 
trine or  discourse,  a  word  collective  (as  speech)  or 
individual,  written  or  spoken,  heard  or  remembered 
or  imagined  ;  and  it  means  also,  by  a  grand  and 
most  appropriate  personification,  the  Son  of  God  in 
his  pi'ophetical  office,  as  the  instructor  of  mankind 
and  "  the  light  of  the  world."  In  this  last  sense 
it  is  used  by  John  in  his  gospel,  1 :  1,  and  in  his 
Revelation,  19 :  13.  Here  permit  a  digression  in 
place. 

The  Friends,  Orthodox  and  Hicksites,  the  whole 
of  them,  refuse  to  call  the  scripture  the  word  of  God. 
One  reason  assigned  is — that  the  title  is  appropri- 
ated personally  to  Jesus  Christ.  But  this  reason  is 
most  weak  and  sophistical.  John  so  appropriates  it 
indeed,  in  the  two  instances  above  cited  ;  and  in 


399 


these  alone  does  it  certainly  or  prominently  occur. 
He  so  applies  it  in  a  secondary  and  figurative  sense, 
and  very  rarely,  i.  e.  but  twice.  But  be  it  remem- 
bered that  as  the  expressions  in  the  original  are  dif- 
ferent, so  py]fx.a  rov  Qeov  is  never  applied  personally ; 
never  once ;  though  for  the  uttered  or  spoken,  or 
subsequently  written  word  of  God,  it  occurs  so  veri/ 
frequently  in  scripture.  What  reason  then  is  there 
for  their  refusal  1  especially  when  we  consider,  (1) 
that  the  inspired  message  of  God,  whether  written 
or  spoken,  contains  identically  his  words,  and  in  the 
nature  of  things,  could  not  have  an  appellation  more 
proper  than  "  his  word"  for  its  collective  record  ;  (2) 
that  Fox  says  he  declared  "  the  word  of  the  Lord  " 
to  the  people  ;  and  ^he  did,  and  records  what  he 
said  identically,  is  not  so  much  of  it "  the  word  of  the 
Lord"  stiin  (3)  that  the  scriptures  call  themselves 
"  the  word  of  God.  "Paul  after  quoting  with  expla- 
nations from  the  Old  Testament,  justifies  the  spiri- 
tuality of  the  sense  and  its  application,  thus:  "for 
the  word  of  God  is  quick  (alive)  and  powerful,  and 
sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  &c."  Heb.  4 :  12. 
Mark,  he  does  not  say  it  is  "  a  dead  letter,"  and  not 
to  be  understood  but  by  inspired  catechumens ! 
They  are  called  "the  lively  oracles"  once  ;  Acts  7  : 
38  ;  and  "  the  oracles  of  God,''  three  times  ;  Rom.  3 : 
2  ;  Heb.  5  :  12  ;  1  Pet.  4  ;  11.  The  word  spoken  and 
heard  is  called  "  the  word  of  God  "  veryfrequently. 
Hundreds  of  passages  might  be  collected — but  quan- 
tity is  not  our  aim.  (4)  That  Jesus  Christ  expressly 
calls  the  scripture  the  word  of  God.  See  Mark,  7  : 
13 ;  where  he  refers,  having  just  quoted  it,  to  Exod. 


400 


20  :  12  ;  and  John,  10  :  35,  where  he  refers,  having 
just  quoted  it,  to  Psahii  82  :  6.  I  could  easily  com- 
mand more  proof;  but  suppose  that  man  to  be  un- 
candid  whom  the  evidence  already  adduced  fails  to 
conciliate  to  the  truth  of  the  position  that  Friends 
act  without  reason  and  against  it,  in  refusing  to  call, 
what  God  inspired  to  be  "the  law  of  his  mouth"  to 
us,  the  holy  scriptures,  the  word  of  God.  (5)  That 
the  word  of  God  is  properly  and  absolutely,  (wheth- 
er written  or  spoken  or  in  whatever  way  conveyed,) 
the  highest  or  the  paramount  rule  of  action.  It  is 
not  true  in  this  world  peculiarly,  that  it  holds  su- 
preme pre-eminence.  It  is  the  highest  rule  every- 
where ;  throughout  the  universe  ;  "  in  all  places  of 
his  dominion."  It  is  the  highest  with-  "  angels,  that 
excel  in  strength,  that  do  his  commandments,  hear- 
kening  TO   THE  VOICE  OF    HIS  WORD."     It  is  thuS 

that  all  the  illustrious  hierarchies  of  heaven  obey 
him,  walking  by  no  higher  rule,  or  rather  flying  by 
it  alone.  Thus  are  they  "  all  his  hosts ;"  sentient 
of  his  will  as  indicated  in  his  word  ;  "  ministers  of 
his,  that  do  his  "pleasure."  And  what  know  we  of 
God  in  a  way  of  worship,  or  as  it  respects  his  as- 
certained will  concerning  us,  except  from  his  written 
word  ^  "  whereunto  we  do  icf// that  we  take  heed, 
as  unto  a  light  thatshineth  in  a  dark  place,  until  the 
day  dawn,  and  the  day-star  arise  in  our  hearts." 
What  know  Friends  without  that  glorious  and  ple- 
nary informer"!  Nothing  at  all  in  religion!  Nothing 
that  is  true  or  distinguishingly  Christian  !  Why  then 
refuse  they  to  call  it  what  it  is,  the  word  of  God  1  O 
how  much  do  they  lose  by  their  error  here  !  Where- 


401 


fore,  consider  (6)  That  the  reason  they  allege  is  not 
credibly  the  one  that  influences  their  refusal.  I  do 
not  say  they  know  the  fallacy  and  practise  it  contrary 
to  what  they  know  to  be  right.    Sin  is  deceitful ;  is 
deceit  itself.    Millions  that  are  posting  to  hell,  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony  of  scripture,  are  full  of  vain 
and  presumptuous  hopes  ;  mistaking  themselves  for 
the  servants  of  Christ,  it  may  be,  vi^hen  he  knows 
them  to  be  the  servants  of  the  devil.    But  there  is 
little  use  here  in  proving  this.    I  only  allege  that 
the  real  reason  of  refusal  with  the  Friends  is  the  en- 
mity of  the  seed  of  the  serpent  against  the  seed  of 
the  kingdom.    It  is  sin  itself ;  opposition  cloaked 
from  sight,  yet  mortally  set  against  "  the  truth  as  it 
is."  If  the  Bible  was  a.  friend  to  Friends,  they  would 
insist  on  its  meaning  more  and  commend  it  to  the 
universal  reception  of  mankind.    The  word  of  God 
is  that  tremendous  panoply  in  which  "  the  sacra- 
mental host  of  God's  elect"  are  clothed,  and  the 
elherial  point  of  which  is  intolerable  to  the  spirits  of 
rebellion,  human  and  infernal.    It  disposes  of  them 
too  summarily.  Like  its  Author,  it  respects  no  man's 
person.  It  fears  nothing,  conceals  nothing,  disguises 
nothing  ;  but  makes  manifest  the  character  and  the 
doom  of  the  wicked,  in  light  of  the  eternal  throne 
and  the  Sovereign  that  reigns  on  it.    I  believe  it  is 
the  policy  and  the  temper  of  sin,  and  nothing  better, 
no  matter  in  whom,  that  resolutely  and  knowingly 
refuses  to  recognise  the  word  of  God,  as  such :  and 
while  they  continue  so  to  do,  I  for  one  can  recognise 
them  only  as  those  who,  I  fear,  are  the  disguised 
enemies  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  "  wolves  in  sheep's 

51  ^ 


402 


clothing,"  notwithstanding  their  smooth  and  oily  arts 
of  seeming  goodness,  by  which  they  are  wont  to  in- 
gratiate themselves  with  strangers,  the  simple  or  the 
ignorant.    I  return  to  the  passage  in  Romans. 

It  is  fortunate  or  otherwise  as  we  think,  I  pro- 
nounce it,  however,  fearlessly,  to  be  a  fact,  that  in  all 
the  prime  quotations  of  the  Friends,  their  champions 
and  smaller  heralds,  a  cool  analysis  of  the  passage 
not  only  dissipates  the  evidence  on  which  they  rely, 
but  converts  it  into  a  damper  of  their  flame — and  an 
extinguisher  of  their  light.  With  astonishing  in- 
felicity, equalled  only  by  the  impious  presumption 
of  his  inspired  arrogance,  does  Barclay  refer  to  the 
passage  in  question.  He  touches  a  spring,  and 
fires  a  train,  and  ignites  a  mine,  of  explosion  and 
ruin  to  his  total  Quakerism.  It  is  the  doctrine  of 
justification. 

Of  this  glorious  cardinal  point  of  Christianity,  the 
whole  epistle  to  the  Romans  may  be  entitled  an  in- 
spired elucidation.  To  understand  it  as  it  is  re- 
vealed, and  to  have  hope  toward  God  in  that  in- 
comparable way,  will  always,  in  a  mind  of  compre- 
hension and  consistency,  induce  substantially  the 
following  results  :  It  will  endear  the  scripture  to  all 
that  is  human  in  him,  to  all  his  faculties  and  affec- 
tions, to  his  influence  and  his  praise,  in  a  degree 
transcendent  and  supreme  ;  it  will  give  him  such 
hope  in  God  through  Jesus  Christ  as  never  was 
without  it ;  it  will  make  holiness  the  passion  of  his 
life  and  the  element  of  his  motion,  mental  and  cor- 
poreal— it  will  facilitate  universal  duty  and  fiimili- 
arize  it  to  the  practice  ;  it  will  demonstrate  that  in- 


403 


stead  of  leading  to  licentiousness,  as  infidels  and- 
sciolists  pretend  to  be  conscientious  in  alleging,  it 
is  the  best  and  the  only  way  of  prosecuting  "  true 
holiness ;"  it  will  give  a  clearness  and  fixity  of 
vision  in  the  things  of  God,  a  clew  of  interpretation 
to  the  whole  volume  of  revelation,  and  inspire  an 
immutability  of  character,  while  it  communicates 
to  the  mind  that  unequaled  excellence  which  Sir 
Humphrey  Davy  justly  pronounces  the  grand  de- 
sideratum of  human  nature,  a  sound  and  established 
religious  faith ;  it  will  impart  a  clear  perception  of 
the  attributes  of  God,  of  his  law,  of  human  account- 
ability and  depravity  and  ill-desert,  of  the  glorious 
atonement  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  on  the  accursed 
tree,  of  the  principles  of  the  divine  moral  govern- 
ment, of  the  nature  and  laws  of  the  mediatorial 
system,  of  the  duties  and  dangers  of  men  as  "  pri- 
soners of  hope,"  of  the  offers  and  promises,  of  tho 
threatenings  and  denunciations  of  the  word  of  God, 
and  of  the  diverse  eternal  destinies  of  the  two  great 
MORAL  CLASSES  into  whicli  the  species  are  divided 
here  and  hereafter ;  it  will  commend  the  way  of 
acceptance  and  justification  through  the  Mediator, 
to  the  unalterable  convictions  of  the  soul,  as  the 
only  possible  way  in  which  a  sinner  can  be  saved ; 
it  will  demonstrate  immutably  the  divine  origin  of 
the  gospel,  as  a  thing  not  to  be  rationally  referred 
to  an  architect  inferior  to  Him  who  arched  the  fir- 
mament, and  stored  immensity  with  innumerable 
worlds  in  solemn  order  perfectly  arranged  ;  and 
it  will  every  way  accomplish  and  confirm  him  as  a 
christian,  as  never  was  there  one  on  earth  without  it : 


404 


making  moral  courage  "  hard  as  adamant"  against 
prevaricating  error,  and  tender  as  the  gentlest 
offices  of  love  toward  penitence  or  candor  ingen- 
uously seeking  for  the  truth. 

The  scriptural  doctrine  of  justification  is  one 
which,  I  am  bold  to  say  at  least,  is  not  understood 
by  Friends.  It  is  perverted  by  them  sadly;  and 
here,  speaking  experimentally  as  a  witness,  my 
whole  soul  adores  the  God  of  all  grace  about  equally 
for  my  own  conversion  from  old  Adam  and  George 
Fox!  Through  the  one,  condemnation  reigns  over 
all  his  depraved  posterity  ;  through  the  other,  I  feel, 
as  well  as  think,  that  it  becomes  well  nigh  eternized 
on  all  his  perverted  votaries.  It  is  impossible  for  a 
Quaker  consistently  to  learn  and  love  the  scripture 
doctrine  of  justification  ;  for,  accepting  it,  he  would 
in  all  consistency  renounce  Quakerism. 

Without  delivering  a  dissertation  on  the  subject, 
I  shall  advert  to  some  of  its  important  principles. 

1.  It  is  founded  on  the  distinction  between  the 
person  and  the  character  of  an  individual.  Paul,  for 
example,  is  the  same  person  that  he  ever  was,  and 
so  continues  immutably  and  eternally.  But  his 
character  is  not  the  same  that  it  was.  Conversion 
was  its  first  incipient  change  ;  sanctification  pro- 
gressively advanced  it  in  the  divine  similitude; 
glorification  hath  consummately  expanded  it  in  the 
perfection  of  heaven.  He  who  now  emulates  a 
cherub  in  clearness  of  vision  and  a  seraph  in  purity 
of  zeal,  was  once  the  dark  and  bloody  persecuter 
of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  church  ;  "  breathing  out 
threatenings  and  slaughter  against  the  disciples  of 


405 


the  Lord  verily  thinking  "  that  he  onght  to  do 
many  things  contrary  to  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Na- 
zareth." But,  remember,  he  is  the  same  person  ; 
the  sinner  that  did  all  those  things  !  His  person  is 
unchangeable  and  identical ;  and  so  is  that  of  every 
other  individual. 

2.  The  moral  account  of  every  human  being  ia 
retrospective,  as  well  as  present,  and  includes  the 
charge  of  every  sin,  with  its  legislated  curse  against 
the  person  by  whom  it  was  committed.  How  enor- 
mous and  tremendous  the  account !  Like  the  ma- 
nifesto of  a  correct  creditor,  to  whom  we  have  been 
plunging  deeper  and  deeper  in  debt  for  a  long 
course  of  years,  the  items  are  there  that  we  had 
forgotten  and  each  one  contributes  to  the  appaling 
sum  total  :  while  the  claim  demonstrates  our  bank- 
ruptcy, and  holds  our  person  justly  a  prisoner  to  its 
power.  "  The  strength  of  sin  is  the  law."  Our 
insolvency — is  a  disagreeable  thing  to  look  at. 

Hence  men  of  inward  light  are  wont 
To  turn  their  optics  in  upon 't. — Butler. 

Hence  the  doctrine  of  justification  is  so  meanly  and 
universally  detested  by  the  men  of  the  world.  The 
felons  of  the  curse  can  ill  endure  a  settlement,  even 
by  grace  in  Christ  Jesus,  if  it  honors  law  and  re- 
quires them  to  confess  the  utter  and  terrible  ruin  of 
their  circumstances. 

Hence  all  that  is  in  man,  pride,  passion,  art, 
Powers  of  the  mind,  and  feelings  of  the  heart ; 


406 


Insensible  of  truth's  almighty  charms, 

Starts  at  her  first  approach,  and  sounds,  to  arms  ! 

While  bigotry,  with  well-dissembled  fears, 

His  eyes  shut  fast,  his  fingers  in  his  ears, 

?<Iighty  to  parry  and  push  by  God's  word, 

With  senseless  noise,  his  argument  the  sword. 

Pretends  a  zeal  for  godliness  and  grace. 

And  spits  abhorrence  in  the  christian's  face. — Cowper. 

3.  Justification,  as  such,  strictly  taken,  respects 
the  person  alone,  and  not  the  character;  while  to 
commix  these  in  the  view,  is  the  very  chaos  of  all 
confusion  to  a  subject  worthy  of  the  most  correct 
discrimination  of  which  the  intellectual  powers  are 
capable.  It  consists  in  the  release  of  the  person, 
on  account  of  Jesus  Christ  alone,  from  all  his  penal 
responsibilities  ;  remitting  all  his  sins  for  that  dear 
sake  ;  and  accepting  the  party  as  righteous,  and  so 
engaging  faithfully  to  treat  him,  through  the  Media- 
tor, to  the  glory  of  God.  It  is  a  forensic  or  judicial 
declaration  of  indemnity  forever,  in  their  behalf 
who  believe ;  and  a  consequent  public  treatment  of 
them  as  if  they  were  in  no  sense  deserving  of  the 
executed  penalty  of  law. 

4.  It  were  easy  in  thought  to  separate,  what  is 
in  fact  inseparable,  the  person  and  the  character,  in 
respect  to  justification  ;  that  its  glorious  theory 
might  become  more  clearly  discernible.  The  arch- 
fiend of  pandemonium,  for  example  :  his  character 
is  totally  bad,  and  his  person  under  eternal  sen- 
tence. Suppose  this  were  reversed,  without  re- 
versing or  altering  that :  he  would  be  personally 
free  and  uncondemned,  and  yet  as  bad  as  ever. 
Or,  suppose  his  character  was  reversed  and  melio- 


407 


rated  into  perfect  holiness,  his  person  would  still  be 
liolden  for  the  sins  that  are  past :  and  he  would 
then  be  sanctified  but  not  justified,  not  absolved. 
This  anomaly  often  occurs  in  the  jurisprudence  of 
human  society.  A  person  of  perfect  innocence  is 
convicted  of  crime,  is  not  justified  but  condemned  ; 
while  the  villain  escapes,  in  the  eye  of  law,  justified. 
To  absolve  a  person  of  all  his  sins,  to  release  him, 
is  the  justifying  act  by  which  a  sinner  becomes  ac- 
cepted in  the  sight  of  God :  and  is  specifically 
the  proper  idea  of  redemption  anoXvrpojaig — which 
Friends  define  to  be  a  cleansing  of  the  interior 
from  sin  !  It  contemplates  us  as  captives,  slaves 
to  the  curse,  sold  to  punishment,  and  justly  exposed 
to  "  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord."  Hence  Christ  dies  for  us  ;  "in  whom  we 
have  redemption  through  his  blood,  (that  is — his 
DEATH,)  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the 
riches  of  his  grace."  Eph.  1  :  7.  Rom.  3 :  24.  8  : 
1,  30.  When  our  moral  relations  are  adjusted, 
and  we  are  accepted  as  righteous  in  the  sight  of 
God,  righteousness  is  said  to  be  "  imputed  "  to  us, 
or  reckoned  or  counted  or  accounted  :  for  the  orio-i- 
nal  word  is  the  same  or  a  cognate,  wherever  those 
various  forms  occur  in  our  translation.  Yet  this 
subject  of  "imputed  righteousness"  is  the  perfect 
horror  of  Friends,  all  of  them  !  And  they  must 
all — as  they  know  that  they  do — degrade  it ;  for 
their  inspired  patriarchs  all  did  it.  And  why  1  Be- 
cause it  is  unscriptural  1  Was  the  epistle  to  the 
Galatians,  and  Luther's  immortal  commcntarv 
thereon,  written  for  any  other  end  than  to  disabuse 


408 


it  of  what  its  enemies  had  said  of  it,  and  vindicate 
it  as  the  only  way  of  hope  \  How  will  a  Friend  be 
justified  without  imputation]  O,  he  will  repent 
and  mind  the  inward  teachings  hereafter.  Will 
he  1  and  how  is  this  to  repair  his  former  obliquity 
and  defalcation  1  Will  present  repentance  atone 
for  past  sins  I  Just  as  much  as  for  future  and  no 
more.  Suppose  he  was  truly  to  repent,  that  is,  not 
merely  be  sorry,  dress  plain,  and  "  get  still ;"  but 
turn  from  all  sin  like  a  man,  with  full  purpose  of 
heart  to  practise  universal  righteousness  :  suppose 
he  were  "renewed  up"  to  the  perfect  sanctimony 
of  Fox  ;  still  is  he  the  same  person  that  committed 
those  former  sins  ;  and  is  he  righteous  1  But  God 
will  pardon !  Will  he  ]  Yes,  for  Christ's  sake 
alone  ;  and  he  will  impute  righteousness  also  where 
he  pardons  ;  or,  every  sinner  of  the  species  would 
be  lost  forever,  all  his  pharisaism  and  all  his  holi- 
ness and  all  his  "sincerity"  to  the  contrary  not- 
withstanding!  See  Rom.  4  :  1-8.  Gal,  3:  6-14. 
Read,  understand,  believe,  and  love — or,  reader, 
lay  your  account  with  eternal  condemnation  ! 

5.  The  evangelical  system,  however  rejects  with 
justindignation  the  hypocritical  inuendo  of  infidelity 
and  heresy  conjoined,  for  their  cause  is  one,  against 
the  only  method  of  possible  justification  for  men, 
that  it  tends  to  licentiousness  ;  and  lays,  in  the  very 
centre  of  the  fabric,  the  basis  of  holiness,  by  defin- 
ing the  nature  of  faith,  and  making  its  requisition 
absolute  and  universal,  and  giving  the  very  means 
of  its  production  and  nutrition  in  the  grace  of  the 
Spirit.    "  This  only  would  I  learn  of  you,  received 


409 


ye  the  Spiiit  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the 
hearing  of  faith  V  Gal.  3 :  2.  Faith  generally 
means — confidence  in  testimony.  Evangelically  it 
means  this  and  more  ;  namely,  a  cordial  confi- 
dence in  the  testimony  of  God  as  contained  in  the 
scriptures,  especially  in  respect  to  the  way  of  justi- 
fication. It  is  "with  the  heart "  indispensably  that 
we  believe  unto  life  eternal.  We  trust  affectionate- 
ly, and  love  what  we  trust ;  and  thus  assimilate,  and 
are  "  sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in  Christ."  Acts,  26  : 
18.  Now  hope  becomes  the  lovely  inspirer  of  holi- 
ness— for  "  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him" — 
that  is,  in  Christ,  and  not  in  himself,  as  Friends 
misinterpret  it  ;  see  the  original — "  purifieth  him- 
self, even  as  he  is  pure."  1  John,  3:3.  "  The  de- 
vils also  believe  and  tremble."  Yes,  but  they  never 
love  and  "  go  on  their  way  rejoicing."  A  man  must 
have  a  religion  better  in  kind,  as  well  as  greater  in 
degree,  than  devils,  in  order  to  escape  their  prison. 
What  shall  we  say  then  of  some  who  have  not  so 
much  religion  as  they  1  Who  do  not  even  believe ! 
A  christian  however  knows  what  it  is  to  love  God, 
as  well  as  fear  him  ;  and  his  very  fear  is  "  clean,  en- 
during for  ever."  Says  Paul,  "  For  God  hath  not 
given  us  the  spirit  of  fear  ;  but  of  power,  and  of 
love,  and  of  a  sound  mind."  2  Tim.  1  :  7. 

It  is  a  great  proof  of  the  stupidity  of  the  human 
mind  in  the  things  of  God,  and  proper  to  infidelity 
alone,  to  insinuate  that  the  apostles  were  at  variance 
on  this  article,  especially  Paul  and  James.  The 
latter  more  insists  on  the  holy  nature  of  justifying 
faith ;  the  former  more  assumes  it.    Paul  never 

52 


410 


meant  to  say  that  a  "  dead"  aiitinomian  faith  could 
save  us  ;  nor  James  that  "  the  righteousness  of 
God"  should  be  superseded  or  mended  by  our  own 
doings,  in  order  to  perfect  the  way.  James  in- 
veighs against  the  faith  that  produces  no  good 
works,  which  "  is  dead,  being  alone."  Paul  shows 
that  justification  is  gratuitous  to  the  person,  who 
believes  "  with  his  heart."  Our  present  piety  and 
our  future,  even  if  it  were  perfect — as  it  never  is  in 
this  world,  could  only  answer  the  preceptive  claims 
of  the  law  for  the  time  being :  in  respect  to  time 
past,  it  could  not  cancel  sin,  or  atone  for  it,  or  ex- 
cuse it,  or  reverse  the  facts  of  its  history,  or  annul 
the  moments  of  lime  in  which  it  was  perpetrated, 
or  diminish  the  ill-desert  of  the  person  for  having 
committed  it ;  and  in  respect  to  the  future,  in  two 
words,  what  could  it  do  to  counterpoise  the  sins  al- 
ready perpetrated,  or — more  impious  imagining  ! — 
to  DESERVE,  as  its  proper  "  wages,"  that  "  exceed- 
ing and  eternal  weight  of  glory  "  which  constitutes 
splendidly  "  THE  GIFT  or  god  in  Christ  Jesus  1" 
How  excellent  is  the  enlightening  and  sanctifying 
virtue  of  this  doctrine-  of  "  the  eternal  Spirit !" 
How  does  it  discriminate  a  true  hope  from  a  false 
one  !  How  reveal  the  upstart  impudence  of  those 
human  spirits  whose  latent  pride  were  otherwise 
unsuspected  and  asleep  !  How  excellent  must  their 
service  be,  who  never  obey  the  gospel  ;  who  in  their 
unbelief  never  please  God  or  do  a  single  thing  in 
pure  obedience  to  his  will ;  and  who  for  all  this  so 
estimate  service  by  them  done  or  to  be  done,  in  fact 
or  in  abeyance,  especially  and  pre-eminently  the 


411 


latter,  as  to  think  eternal  glory  but  a  fair  and  right- 
eous compensation  for  it  all !  Give  me  and  mine 
that  better  hope  of  the  gospel  ;  "  being  justified 
freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  . 
in  Christ  Jesus  !"  There  is  no  other  hope  that  de- 
serves the  name.  To  be  justified  possibly  in  any 
other  way  is — always  to  he  and  to  have  been  without 
sin  in  the  sight  of  God !  Every  mortal  is  a  sinner  : 
and  must  be  justified  imputatively  and  for  Christ's 
sake  alone,  by  an  act  of  pure  and  infinite  grace  ; 
or  condemned  distributively  and  for  his  own  sake 
alone,  by  an  act  of  simple  and  sovereign  justice 
forever. 

6.  The  conditions  of  justification  and  salvation, 
respectively  and  inseparably,  as  here  propounded  to 
us,  are  worthy  of  special  observation  ;  namely,  to 

BELIEVE    WITH    THE    HEART,  and  tO  CONFESS  WITH 

THE  MOUTH.    Thcsc  are  plainly  the  terms  of  life 

ETERNAL ! 

To  "  believe  with  the  heart,"  is  the  precise  way 
in  which  the  things  of  religion  are  felt  or  realized, 
spiritually  and  practically,  by  christians.  It  is  a 
better  way  than  all  the  acts  and  orgies  of  fanati- 
cism, than  all  the  dreams  of  delusion,  or  the  inspi- 
rations of  sorcery,  or  the  imaginations  of  credulity, 
or  the  artifices  of  impenitent  remorse,  or  the  got  up 
sensations  of  animal  zeal,  can  ever  substitute  or 
furnish.  It  is  sober  ;  principled  ;  rational  without 
neology  ;  fervent  with  no  extravagance  ;  and  happy 
without  affectation.  It  is  also  useful ;  delighting 
in  evidence  ;  capable  of  conviction  ;  firm  in  its  po- 
sitions ;  noiseless  and  immutable.   This  is  the  kind 


412 


of  christians  we  desire  to  see.  "  The  Father  seek- 
eth  such  to  worship  him." 

To  "  confess  with  the  mouth  "  is  to  honor  Christ 
before  men ;  to  own  the  blessed  Redeemer  in  pub- 
He  ;  to  join  his  standing  army  and  espouse  his 
cause  ;  and  to  furnish,  by  his  command,  such  pro-  • 
per  indications  and  signals  to  his  officers  and  others, 
as  are  made  justly  requisite  to  a  recognition  of  us 
on  their  part.     Without  a  sound  confession 

THERE  IS  NO  RECOGNITION  AUTHORIZED.  BcsidcS, 

confession  is  said  to  be  "  unto  salvation."  This  is 
a  terrible  impeachment  of  their  hopes  who  shun  to 
confess  the  Savior,  or  whose  confession  is  so  vi- 
tiated that  it  were  difficult  to  know  what  is  to  be 
inferred  from  it.  Is  it  Christ  that  they  confess  1  or 
Mohammed  1  or  Confucius  1  or  Zoroaster  l  or  Swe- 
denburgh  I  or  George  Fox  1  or  some  new  impos- 
ter  1  Is  their  confession  enlightened  or  ignorant, 
is  it  sound  or  heretical,  is  it  intelligible  or  steeped 
in  stupid  mysticism  1 

But  the  things  are  connected.  If  we  believe 
aright,  we  so  confess  also.  The  faith  governs  the 
confession,  as  good  or  bad.  When  both  are  right, 
the  party  is  diaphanous,  clear  as  crystal,  in  religion ; 
and  God  is  "  glorified  in  him."  Then  the  heart 
and  the  mouth  respond  to  each  other  and  to  truth, 
in  happy  concert.  The  mind  and  the  manners,  the 
feelings  and  the  words,  what  is  within  and  what  is 
without,  the  soul  and  the  body,  in  a  word,  the  total 
man,  is  Christ's,  consistently,  practically,  influen- 
tiaily,  joyfully,  and  for  ever  !  This  is  religion. 
Would  to  God  that  I  could  think,  for  then  would 


413 


I  cheerfully  "  confess,"  that  such  is  the  appropriate 
religion  of  a  Friend  ! 

"  Therefore,  if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a 
new  creature  :  old  things  are  passed  away  ;  behold, 
all  things  are  become  new."  2  Cor.  5:17.  Wo, 
wo,  wo,  to  the  misery-making  delusion  of  inward 
light ! 

7.  There  are  but  two  ways  possibly  of  justifica- 
tion before  God  :  the  first  is  to  demonstrate  that  we 
are  and  always  have  been  perfect  in  holiness,  ac- 
cording to  the  requisitions  of  the  law  of  God;  that 
is,  to  demonstrate  here  and  hereafter  that  we  have 
never  sinned  ;  for,  if  we  have,  we  fall  under  the 
curse  of  eternal  justice.  The  other  is — the  way 
of  grace  and  righteousness  by  imputation  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Thus  in  the  passage  Rom.  10 :  1-10,  the 
apostle  declares  two  ways  only;  and  resolves  the 
self-righteousness  of  the  Jews  into  their  ig?iorance 
of  the  divine  method  of  justification,  while  he  weeps 
over  them  without  hope,  notwithstanding  the  "  zeal 
of  God"  which  he  bears  witness  that  they  had. 
"  For  they,  being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness, 
and  going  about  ta  establish  their  own  righteous- 
ness, have  not  submitted  themselves  unto  the  righ- 
teousness of  God."  The  word  "  righteousness  " 
in  all  this  connection  respects  the  person  rather 
than  the  character  ;  and  were  better  rendered  "jus- 
tification "  in  every  instance.  Thus;  "the  righ- 
teousness of  God,"  of  which  a  whole  nation  was 
"  ignorant "  and  remains  so  to  this  day,  means — 
not  the  intrinsic  equity  of  his  nature,  nor  the  rectitude 
of  his  moral  administration,  nor  any  general  aspect 


414 


of  his  justice ;  though  it  implies  them  all ;  but  it 
means  the  method  which  God  has  invented,  adopted, 
revealed,  and  provided  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  from 
which  HE  will  never  depart ;  the  evangelical  me- 
thod of  justifying  sinners.  "  For  Christ  is  the  end  of 
the  law''  (as  good  as  legal  justification  could  be,  to 
all  intents  and  purposes — to  say  the  least  of  it)  "  for 
justification,  to  every  one  that  believeth."  The  dis- 
closure of  THIS  GLORY  OF  THE  GOSPEL  is  CXpreSsly 

assigned  by  the  apostle,  Rom.  1  : 13-17,  as  one  of 
his  chief  reasons  for  wishing  to  preach  it  at  Rome. 
By  the  light  of  nature  and  the  sagacity  of  men,  it 
never  could  be  known.  It  was  in  the  gospel  alone 
that  it  was  revealed.  "For  therein  is  the  righteous- 
ness of  God,"  that  is,  his  method  of  justification, 
"  revealed  to  faith  to  be  by  faith  :  as  it  is  written. 
The  just  by  faith  (or  the  man  who  is  justified  by 
faith)  shall  live ;"  or  be  accepted,  and  saved  in 
Christ.  The  liberties  I  have  taken  with  our  trans- 
lation, only  exhibit  the  sense  of  the  original  more 
plainly,  as  the  scholar  will  see,  and  as  many  learned 
commentators  have  shown.  But  what  do  Friends 
know  of  this  glory  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  ]  I  an- 
swer, nothing,  or  next  to  nothing  and  worse  than 
nothing.  Their  system  precludes  it.  Their  igno- 
rance is  organized  in  its  alienation.  They  con- 
found it  with  sanctification,  through  their  tradition 
and  their  educated  lack  of  competent  instruction. 

"I  wot  that  through  ignorance  they  did  it,  as  did 
also  their  rulers."  And  I  would  fairly  warn  a 
Friend  not  to  learn  the  doctrine  of  scripture  on  this 
fundamental  article — if  he  means  to  keep  his  cast: 


415 


for  the  two  things  are  utterly  incompatible.  Be- 
lieve the  true  doctrine  of  justification  according  to 
the  word  of  God,  and  it  will  give  you  a  solid  an- 
chorage. By  it  both  pharisaism  and  fanaticism  will 
together  die.  Its  influence  is  steadily  the  same  : 
"  that  we  henceforth  be  no  more  children,  tossed 
to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of 
doctrine,  by  the  slight  of  men  and  cunning  crafti- 
ness, whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive ;  but  speak 
ing  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  into  him  in  all 
things,  who  is  the  Head,  even  Christ." 

Barclay  has  written  between  40  and  50  pages  of 
his  "Apology"  under  the  head  of  "Justification;" 
in  which  he  proves  mainly  this — that  he  never  un- 
derstood the  subject ! 

It  is  with  a  perpetual  mixture  of  pity  and  grief 
and  indignation  that  I  plod  through  the  desert  of 
his  dreary  and  jesuitical  lucubrations  on  this  impor- 
tant theme — to  which  pilgrimage  I  have  condemn- 
ed myself  several  times.  I  pronounce  it  mystical, 
confused,  fallacious,  arrogant,  heretical,  and  of  no 
solid  perspicacity  in  the  things  of  God.  But  he 
must  keep  up  the  dignity  of  the  inward  light;  and 
by  pretending  to  know  every  thing,  vindicate  the 
honor  of  inspiration,  his  own  and  theirs.  Hence 
this  quondam  jesuit,  trained  as  his  noble  mind  had 
been  to  a  sophistry  which  ceased  not  to  be  the  be- 
setting sin  of  his  life,  blunders  and  flounders  and 
splashes  along,  like  Bucephalus  in  a  quagmire  at 
midnight.  He  reminds  me  constantly  of  honest 
Considius,  one  of  the  lieutenants  of  Ccesar  in  his 
Gallic  wars,  who  reported  to  him  an  interesting 


416 


matter  of  fact,  respecting  the  position  of  the  enemy  ; 
Avhich  he  had  just  observed  "with  indubitable  clear- 
ness," and  therefore  "  testified  to  "  all  in  a  hurry: 
upon  which  report,  a  military  movement  of  some 
consequence  was  immediately  ordered  ;  the  whole 
army  was  set  on  march  ;  a  lofty  hill-top  eminence 
was  stoutly  gained  ;  and  the  victorious  troops  ex- 
nlted  without  a  battle — for  no  enemy  was  there ! 
the  lieutenant,  in  the  inspiration  of  his  zeal,  having 
reported  an  nnreal  spectacle  ;  "  quod  non  vidisset, 
pro  viso,  sibi  renunciasse ;"  but  with  all  the  cer- 
tainty of  a  man  who  misleads  a  multitude,  and 
even  trepans  a  great  commander,  because  he  moves 
too  fast  in  his  observations  to  possess  himself  of 
the  truth  as  it  is,  or  to  understand  the  subject  of  his 
sanguine  communications. 

Not  unwisely  therefore  does  the  saying  of  Luther 
receive  the  homage  of  succeeding  ages  in  reference 
to  this  grand  fundamental  of  Christianity — "  ar- 

TICULUS  STANTIS  VEL  CADENTIS  ECCLESIAE  ;"  THE 
DOCTRINE  BY   WHICH   THE    CHURCH  OR   STANDS  OR 

FALLS  : — a  sentiment  of  which  I  scarce  know  whe- 
ther more  to  admire  the  solemnity,  the  poetry,  the 
validity,  the  utility,  or  the  piety!  It  deserves  the 
respect  of  the  universe,  as  it  conciliates  the  testi- 
mony of  the  wise.  To  understand  the  doctrine  of 
justification  ;  to  master  the  science  of  its  relations 
to  the  law  and  to  the  gospel,  with  correct  and  pro- 
found discrimination ;  to  adjust  it  in  the  revealed 
system,  as  it  respects  the  atonement  and  the  righte- 
ousness of,  Christ,  the  moral  government  of  God, 
the  duty  of  sinners,  and  the  hopes  of  men  ;  that 


417 


same  great  and  wise  Reformer  also  justly  made  hi;< 
criterion  of  a  qualified  theologian  and  an  accom- 
plished minister.  O  how  justly !  No  man  is  fit 
to  preach  who  does  not  understand  it ;  who  does 
not  aggrandize  it  to  the  perceptions  of  his  hearers  ; 
who  does  not  glory  in  it  surpassingly  himself!  But 
when  was  Quaker  preacher  such  1  I  never  knew 
or  read  of  an  instance,  even  by  approximation  !  To 
be  such,  is  to  be  a  Quaker  no  more.  They  do  not 
understand  the  subject.  Barclay  does  not — pro- 
batum  sit. 

C?"  "  It  is  by  tills  inward  birth  of  Christ  i7i  man 
that  man  is  made  just,  and  therefore  so  accounted 
by  God :  wherefore,  to  be  plain,  [who  ha«  a  better 
right  1]  we  are  thereby,  and  not  till  that  be  brought 
forth  in  n^,  formally,  if  we  must  use  that  word,  jus- 
tified in  the  sight  of  God  ;  because  justification  is 
both  more  properly  and  frequently  in  scripture  ta- 
ken in  its  proper  signification  for  making  one  just, 
and  not  reputing  one  merely  such,  and  is  all  one 
with  sanctification.^^  The  italicising  is  his  own.  f 
[  however  will  capitalize  this  sentiment — justifi- 
cation IS   ALL  ONE   WITH    SANCTIFICATION  !  And 

sanctification,  it  seems,  is  all  one  with  the  mystic 
"seed"  in  us  set  a  growing  !  What  shall  I  say  1 
Is  this  the  way  to  expound  the  word  of  God  ;  to 
sustain  the  protestant  cause ;  and  to  diffuse  Chris- 
tianity in  the  world  I 


Non  tali  auxilio,  nec  defensoribus  istis 
Teinpus  eget.  .  Vina. 

53 


418 


Not  such  defenders  can  sustain  llie  cause  ; 

Or  vindicate  the  truth's  eternal  laws  ; 

Or  suit  the  age,  or  claim  our  just  applause. 

Reader,  the  whole  dissertation  is  "  a  continent  of 
mud,"  resolvable  into  the  substance  of  the  precious 
morceau  I  have  quoted.  It  is  a  specimen  of  the 
whole  territory.  It  is  the  seminal  nucleus  whereof 
all  the  total  quantity  is  but  the  homogeneous  ex- 
pansion. 

On  the  above,  I  would  remark, 

1.  That  he  evidently  dislikes  the  word  justified. 
"  If  we  must  use  that  word."  Indeed  !  How  reluc- 
tant to  use  one  of  the  "  words  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
teacheth !"  one  of  the  richest  in  the  vocabulary  of 
Jesus  Christ !  one  of  the  most  glorious  to  authentic 
hope  !  I  know  the  reason — neither  the  word,  nor 
the  thing,  suits  the  system  he  advocates.  It  ex- 
plodes that  system  with  mutual  repugnance.  The 
matter  is  in  his  w'ay  ;  and  yet  he  vaunts  as  if  it 
were  an  exact  fit.  If  the  word  be  "  all  one  with 
sanctification,"  how  great  the  infelicity  of  its  use  ! 
Why  say  any  thing  in  the  Bible  about  justification  1 
why  not  use  one  word  only  1  and  why  does  he  write 
so  much  to  tell  us  that  both  are  one  and  the  same  1 
"  As  many  as  resist  not  this  light,  but  receive  the 
same,  it  becomes  in  them  an  holy,  pure,  and  spirit- 
ual birth — by  which — as  we  are  sanctified,  so  are 
we  justified  in  the  sight  of  God."  Thus  his  seventh 
proposition,  "  concerning  justification,"  proceeds,  as 
the  thesis  of  his  essay :  in  which  there  are  twenty- 
one  lines  of  mythologic  wisdom,  without  even  the 


419 


word  faith  ia  all  his  formal  statement.  The  doc- 
trine of  evangelical  faith  is  another  enemy  of  their 
system. 

To  behove  in  that  light — is  all  they  know  of  faith  ; 
and  what  they  steal  from  the  word  of  God  to  con- 
firm their  error,  they  pervert  to  the  same  end.  The 
faith  of  the  gospel  is  intelligent ;  is  rational ;  is 
steady ;  is  above  the  feelings,  as  their  balance  and 
their  guide ;  is  just  as  devoid  of  fanaticism  as  of 
infidelity  ;  is  happy  and  peaceful  ;  "  full  of  mercy 
and  good  fruits,  without  partiality  and  without  hy- 
pocrisy." But  how  terrible  is  the  delusion  of  sin  ! 
The  maniac  maintains  his  sanity  in  the  first  place, 
and  construes  his  friends  as  his  foes.  The  spirit 
of  false  religion  rejoices  in  the  sparks  of  its  own 
kindling,  and  refuses  to  see  itself  as  it  is,  in  the 
light  of  truth  !  But  its  sentence  will  soon  be  exe- 
cuted ! 

2.  It  is  plain  that  Barclay  confounds  the  distinc- 
tion between  person  and  character,  between  sancti- 
fication  and  justification  ;  and  is  either  ignorant  of 
the  truth  or  worse — such  a  vender  of  "  another  gos- 
pel" that  if  he  were  also  "  an  angel  from  heaven" 
he  ought  not  to  be  countenanced  in  his  darkness 
and  delusion  ;  in  the  destructive  malaria  of  the  in- 
fluence he  emits  !  On  one  occasion  this  doctrine 
of  justification  was  disguised  and  incidentally  vitia- 
ted, by  the  apostle  Peter  himself,  at  Antioch  in  Syria. 
It  occurred  in  a  way  of  practical  "  dissimulation"  and 
temporizing.  But  Paul  would  not  endure  it.  "To 
whom  we  gave  place  by  subjection,  no,  not  for  an 
hour ;  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might  continue 


4' 


420 

with  you."  Hence,  says  Pau],  "I  said  unto  Peter 
before  them  all,"  &c.  He  "withstood  him  to  the 
face,  because  he  was  to  be  blamed."  He  set  him  right 
too,  in  a  way  magnanimous  andpaulian  indeed :  and 
Peter  seems  to  have  received  the  correction  with  a 
"  meekness  of  wisdom  "  which  no  one  of  his  pseudo- 
successors  is  known  to  have  exemplified.  Gal.  2. 
The  inference  is — the  cardinal  importance  of  the  in- 
corrupt doctrine  of  justification,  and  the  necessity  of 
resisting  its  corruption  and  its  obscuration  too  wher- 
ever they  occur,  no  matter  in  whom  and  however  in- 
cidentally. What  then  are  we  to  think  of  a  whole 
system  that  is  destitute  of  the  true  doctrine  ;  that 
wretchedly  sophisticates  it ;  that  supersedes  and  vir- 
tually denies  it ;  and  that,  in  its  whole  compagina- 
tion  of  principles  and  its  wordy  ambages  of  ex- 
planatory labor,  does  nothing  but  annihilate  its 
character  and  its  glory  1  Let  any  enlightened 
christian,  ask  Quakerism,  where  is  my  hope,  where 
my  indemnity,  where  my  Redeemer  1  But  blindness 
is  contented — for  it  sees  not  what  it  loses  :  igno- 
rance has  no  conception  of  what  is  to  be  known  ; 
and  where  the  soul  is  removed  from  the  knowledge 
of  the  true  gospel,  and  is  habituated  (for  the  devil's 
greater  pastime)  to  be  amused  with  "another,"  it  is 
awfully  probable  that  the  siren  will  continue  to  sing, 
and  the  song  will  not  cease  to  enchant,  and  the  en- 
chantment will  prevail  till  *  outer  darkness '  ends 
the  career.  "  O  my  soul !  come  not  thou  into  their 
secrets  :  unto  their  assembly,  mine  honor,  be  thou 
not  united !"    I  bless  God  that  I  am  no  more  one 


421 


of  them.  Let  no  man  rashly  censure  me  for 
repeating  this  declaration ! 

3.  "Because" — says  he,  "justification  is  both 
more  properly  and  frequently  in  scripture  taken  in 
its  proper  signification  for  making  one  just  and  not 
reputing  one  merely  such,  and  is  all  one  with 
sanctification" — wonderful !  "  Now  the  man  Mo- 
ses was  very  meek,  above  all  the  men  which  were 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth."  How  much  meekness 
does  it  require  to  deal  with  spiritual  sorcery  and 
corruption!  "Justification  is  all  one  with  sanctifi- 
cation ;"  that  is  "  its  proper  signification ;"  it  is 
"  more  frequently  in  scripture  taken  "  for  sanctifica- 
tion ;  it  does  not  mean  "  merely  reputing  one  "  to 
be  just;  and  "because"  of  this — 

 cui  lumen  ademptum  ! 

The  monster  roars  tremendous  in  his  pain 
Without  an  eye,  and  strives  to  see  in  vain ! 
Light  is  extinguished  and  he  gropes  insane. 

Think,  reader,  how  profanely  he  caricatures  the 
doctrine  of  God ;  as  if  justification,  as  he  would 
vilify  it,  means  to  "repute  merely"  that  one  is  just! 
as  if  he  were  not  justified  by  an  act  of  God !  as  if 
it  consisted  in  giving  currency  to  a  false  report!  a 
fact  without  existence !  This  is  inspiration,  I  have 
no  doubt;  but  not  divine  inspiration.  It  is  a  fact, 
and  a  glorious  one,  that  every  christian  is  justified 
in  Christ  Jesus,  and  that  this  is  the  only  way.  It 
is  a  fact  that  "  God  justifieth — and  whom  he  justi- 
fied, them  he  also  glorified." 

But  justification  is  taken  for  sanctification  "both 


422 


more  properly  and  frequently  in  scripture  "than — 
what  1  where  is  the  other  subject  of  comparison  1  It 
is  at  once  implied,  by  necessity  ;  and  slighted  into 
oblivion,  by  design.  What  then  is  that  sense  of  justi- 
fication which  Barclay  teaches  is  both  infrequently 
and  less  propci-ly  connected  with  the  word  in  scrip- 
ture ]  It  is  the  sense  which  he  dislikes,  obscures, 
and  supersedes,  with  the  darkness  of  his  foxian 
scheme  of  light.  It  is  the  sense  of  luther's  all  ; 
the  foundation  of  the  church  ;  and  the  glorious  con- 
stitution of  Jehovah!  I  have  "searched  the  scrip- 
tures "  often  with  this  very  idea  in  my  eye  ;  and 
now  I  feel  perfectly  authorized  to  contradict  his  as- 
sertion, and  assert  the  contrary.  The  personal  and 
forensic  sense  of  the  word,  justification,  as  opposed 
to  condemnation,  is  the  primary  and  pervading  sense 
of  the  word  in  scripture.  The  obscuration  of  this 
truth  is  like  an  eclipse  of  "  the  sun  of  righteous- 
ness." But  such  obscuration  is — Quakerism !  Take 
an  induction  by  the  way — They  know  next  to  noth- 
ing of  atonement,  whatever  they  say  of  it,  using  the 
word  and  referring  to  the  death  of  Christ ;  as  little 
know  they  of  the  law  of  God,  of  the  nature  of  hu- 
man accountability,  of  the  perfection  of  the  divine 
moral  government,  of  the  ill-desert  of  sin,  of  the 
immutable  principles  of  the  gospel,  and  the  method 
of  acceptance  with  God  : — or  they  could  not  be  so 
dark,  vacant,  and  erroneous,  on  that  capital  and 
central  doctrine  of  "  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucifi- 
ed !"  I  summon  the  world  to  look  at  this  and  exa- 
mine it  for  themselves.  Those  who  understand  the 
gospel,  and  love   it,  as  the  thrice  excellent  truth 


423 


of  God  ;  and  who  give  themselves  the  trouble  to 
understand  Quakerism  and  "judge  righteous  judg- 
ment "  concerning  it,  and  such  only,  can  appreciate 
what  I  aver.  As  for  others — I  pity  them !  Prov. 
18  :  12,  13,  17.  20  :  25.  21  :  2,  3,  30.  26  :  12.  Er- 
ror is  often  very  good-looking  and  sometimes  ele- 
gant in  manners.  It  has  the  face  of  an  angel, 
the  voice  of  a  siren,  and  the  heart  of  a  fiend.  The 
truth  of  God  is  our  only  safety  against  its  specious 
and  captivating  arts.  There  is  but  one  way  of 
being  right,  and  many  of  being  wrong.  Rectitude 
is  one  thing ;  deviation  is  manifold.  One  way  to 
be  straight ;  many  to  be  crooked  ;  one  way  only  to 
heaven — but  how  many  millions  make  up  the  laby- 
rinth of  ways  that  lead  to  hell  ! 

The  word  justification  occurs  thrice  only  in  the 
total  volume  of  God  :  Rom.  4  :  25.  5  :  16,  18.  and 
there  it  means  not  sanctification  in  any  instance  ; 
but  the  act  of  imputing  righteousness  to  the  person 
of  a  believer.  Its  cognates,  justify,  just,  righteous- 
ness, righteous,  and  so  forth,  refer  very  often  as 
they  occur,  generally  to  the  character  indeed  ;  but 
perhaps  never  to  the  exclusion  of  that  justifying 
"  righteousness  of  God"  as  the  primary  idea,  which 
it  was  the  hope  of  Abel  and  the  zeal  of  Paul  to  at- 
tain in  consummation  at  "  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead  ;"  saying,  "  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be 
FOUND  IN  HIM,  uot  having  mine  own  righteousness, 
which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the 
faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God 
by  faith."  Phil.  3  :  9.  and  the  whole  chapter ! 
'*  Even  as  David  also  describeth  the  blessedness  of 


424 


the  man  unto  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness 
WITHOUT  WORKS ;  Saying,  Blessed  are  they  whose 
iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered. 
Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  im- 
pute sin."    Rom.  4  :  6-8.    What  is  this  but  the 
beatitude  of  the  man  whose  person  is  imputatively 
righteous  I  who  is  accepted  as  righteous,  nay  "  the 
righteousness  of  God"  in  Christ? — in  the  only 
WAY  in  which  it  is  possible  for  a  human  being  to  be 
justified  in  his  sight !    But  we  need  not  quote  the 
whole  Bible  to  convince  a  man  of  sense  and  can- 
dor that  Quakerism  here  at  least  is  not  Christianity. 
In  this  central  matter  it  is  perverse  and  ignorant, 
presuming  and  empty,  deceptive  and  false. 

There  are  two  more  cardinal  proof-texts  of  Bar- 
clay yet  to  be  examined :  and  I  premise  that  they 
are  quite  considerable  ones,  in  which  their  doctrine 
is  about  as  "  excellently  and  evidently  held  forth  " 
as  in  any  other  passages  in  the  total  scripture  ; 
where  the  imperfection  or  plain  mistake  of  our  ve- 
nerable and  learned  but  not  inspired  translators 
(more  than  two  hundred  years  ago)  may  have  given 
unwittingly  to  Friends,  just  then  soon  about  to  rise 
with  their  light,  the  specious  appearance  of  a  vindi- 
cation and  a  sanction.   I  take  them  in  order.  The 
first  is  John,  1:9.  "  That  was  the  true  light,  which 
lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world." 

Respecting  the  true  sense  of  this  passage,  I  ob- 
serve, in  opposition  to  their  view ; 

1.  The  text  literally  and  strictly  interpreted  as 
Friends  are  wont  to  have  it,  is  entirely  solitary  and 
without  a  parallel,  I  think,  in  the  whole  Bible.  The 


425 


analogy  or  "proportion  of  faith"  then,  is  against 
it.  Rom.  12  :  6. 

2.  It  utterly  fails  them  in  respect  to  internal  loca- 
tion ;  inasmuch  as  it  does  not  say  an  inward  light, 
a  light  whose  site  is  the  soul's  interior :  and  this  it 
ought  to  be  shown  to  assert,  before  it  can  be  legiti- 
mately accounted  to  prove  their  hasty  inference.  It 
tells  of  no  such  light.  3.  There  is  positive  evidence 
to  the  contrary ;  or,  that  it  is  an  external  light,  as 
one  that  casts  its  radiance  upon  an  object,  rather 
than  one  that  shines  within  a  subject.  This  evi- 
dence I  draw  from  the  meaning  and  use  of  the 
original  word  <pLjri^ei,  which  had  been  rendered 
with  stricter  accuracy,  shines  upon,  than  enlighteneth 
or  "  lighteth ;"  and  so,  being  an  external  light,  it 
cannot  favor  the  theory  of  Friends  or  be  properly 
called  a  divine  emanation  in  the  soul,  or  spiritual 
instinct  within  us,  or  any  such  mystical  foolishness. 

The  scholar  will  observe  that  the  word  is  a  de- 
rivative and  diminutive  formation  from  ^cjg,  light ; 
and  so  means  to  throw  some  of  its  beams  on  a  dar- 
kened surface,  as  a  candle  in  a  large  room  enlight- 
ens it,  but  is  itself  a  light  and  much  brighter  than 
the  effalgence  it  emits.  This  view  accords  very 
well  with  our  unmystical  theory  of  gospel  light,  but 
not  with  their  position. 

I  propose  here  to  refer  in  order  to  all  the  other 
places  where  the  word  occurs,  that  we  may  have 
the  usage  of  the  sacred  writers  to  show  its  mean- 
ing: these  places  are  ten  only  ;  as  Lnke,  11  :  36. 
1  Cor.  4  :  5.  Eph.  1  :  18.  3  :  9.  2  Tim.  1  :  10. 
Hcb.  6  :  4.  10  :  32.    Rev.  18  :  1.  21  :  23.  22  :  5. 

54 


426 


There  are  besides  two  substantive  formations  from 
the  verb ;  2  Cor.  4  :  4,  6.  or  rather  one  that  occurs 
twice,  and  which  it  may  be  well  to  examine.  How 
does  "the  bright  shining  of  a  candle  give  us  light  1" 
4.  There  is  no  necessity  of  any  sort  that  we 
should  so  interpret  the  passage,  as  Friends,  in  their 
rapid  d  priori  presumptions  or  inspiration-way,  are 
wont  with  singular  audacity  to  affirm  its  meaning  : 
this  however  is  their  way ;  a  perfectly  homogene- 
ous one  ;  like  their  first  error  and  whole  system. 

(1)  It  may  be  diffi^renily  rendered,  without  any 
outrage  to  the  laws  of  language,  to  read  thus ; 
"  which  coming  into  the  world,  lighteth  every  man  ;" 
where  the  participle  comuig  is  construed  to  agree 
with  light  and  not  with  man.  This  version  has  had 
the  sanction  of  many  respectable  names,  and  espe- 
cially of  Dr.  Campbell,  that  prince  of  philological 
learning. 

(2)  It  may  simply  refer  to  the  catholic  largeness 
of  the  new  dispensation,  whose  jurisdiction  is  pro- 
perly all  the  world,"  and  whose  formal  object  is 
"  every  creature  ;"  without  all  distinction  of  nation, 
sect,  or  party  ;  it  thus  "  enlightens  "  or  shines  upon 
or  toicard  "  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world." 

(3)  It  may  signify  merely  that  every  one  that  ever 
zvas  truly  enlightened  obtained  from  "  the  word  "  all 
his  light ;  which  is  plainly  true.  This  appears  pro- 
bable when  we  reflect  on  the  obvious  scope  of  the 
passage.  The  design  of  John,  in  the  sublime  in- 
troduction of  his  gospel,  is  evidently  to  describe 
and  signalize  the  Eternal  Word.  He  tells  us 
one  thing  and  then  another,  all  tending  to  evince 


427 


his  divine  eminence  and  the  consequent  inferiority 
of  all  other  hghts  as  dependent  on  him.  On  this 
hypothesis,  it  may  be  thus  paraphrased  ;  "  never  a 
man  entered  the  world,  who  was  truly  informed  in 
the  things  of  God,  but  as  the  result  of  light  commu- 
nicated by  Jesus  Christ."  This  view  makes  the 
sentence  elliptical,  and  requires  us  to  understand 
after  it,  "  who  ever  was  truly  enlightened."  It  also 
accords  with  the  known  style  of  John.  He  abounds 
with  ellipses  and  bold  expressions  ;  and  his  style 
ought  to  be  studied  and  understood,  before  a  de- 
tached passage  is  hastily  interpreted  against  the 
general  scope  of  all  his  and  all  the  other  sacred 
writings.  Take  one  instance.  "  All  that  ever  came 
before  me,  are  thieves  and  robbers."  John,  10  :  8. 
This  is  a  plain  and  a  bold  ellipsis.  Supply  the  words, 
"  professing  to  be  the  Messiah,"  after  the  first  clause; 
and  you  have  the  meaning.  These  words  the 
writer  expects  the  reader  to  supply.  Otherwise, 
Moses,  David,  and  Elijah,  to  speak  of  no  others, 
were  "  thieves  and  robbers."  Friends  sometimes 
literalize  extravagantly. 

That  one,  or  possibly  all  (for  they  are  related)  of 
these  three  renderings  are  the  truth,  I  am  confident. 
The  style  is  dense  ;  the  meaning  manifestly  gene- 
ral and  comprehensive.  With  respect  to  the  first 
version,  it  may  be  remarked  that  our  translation 
( that  Cometh )  is  unauthorized  by  the  original.  In- 
stead of  the  relative  and  the  verb  there  ought  to 
have  appeared  simply  the  participle  active  of  the 
verb  come ;  thus,  "  every  man  coming  into  the 
world."    Then,  if  coming  agrees  with  man  instead 


428 


of  light,  it  proves  too  much — it  proves  that  the  man 
is  enhghtened  in  the  act  or  moment  of  entering  the 
world !  If  this  be  admitted,  it  may  be  inquired 
what  possible  good  can  it  do  him  \  and  also,  what 
becomes  of  him  afterward  1  Is  he  enlightened  just 
then,  once  for  alH  Is  it  a  natal  inserted  light? 
But  if  coming  agrees  with  light,  (and  grammatical 
law  does  in  no  way  reclaim  at  the  supposition,)  then 
the  first  rendering  seems  valid.  Also,  the  next 
verse  favors  the  view.  There  the  light  becomes 
personal,  changing  the  neuter  to  the  masculine  ; 
thus,  "  He  was  in  the  world,  and  the  world  was 
made  by  him,  and  the  world  knew  him  not." 

5.  If  the  interpretation  of  Friends  be  correct, 
then  it  was  antecedently  the  design  of  the  Apostle 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  express  their  view ;  but, 
supposing  such  design,  is  not  the  text  an  evident 
failure  1  or  at  best  a  very  imperfect  expression  \  I 
think  it  might  be  materially  improved,  especially  by 
Barclay,  who,  when  he  wishes  to  express  the  same 
thing,  uses  such  language  as  the  following ;  "  the 
saving  and  spiritual  light,  wherewith  every  man  is 
enlightened — there  is  an  evangelical  and  saving 
light  and  grace  in  all — the  universality  of  the  love 
and  mercy  of  God  toward  mankind  (both  in  the 
death  of  his  beloved  son,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  in  the  manifestation  of  the  light  in  the  heart) 
is  established  and  confirmed  against  all  the  objec- 
tions of  such  as  deny  it."  I  think,  if  I  had  been 
about  to  express  the  doctrine  of  Friends  just  there, 
that  I  should  have  used  language,  on  such  an  im- 
mensely important  article,  like  to  this  :  Every  hu- 


429 


man  being  since  the  fall,  that  enters  the  world,  has 
an  internal  seed  or  principle  of  divinity  in  his  heart, 
hy  attending  to  whose  "  objective  manifestations  " 
he  comes  to  the  saving  knowledge  of  God;  either 
with  or  without  the  assistance  of  outward  means. 
This  is  surely  their  doctrine.  It  is  also  very  differ- 
ent from  that  taught  in  the  text.  I  consider  it  a 
"damnable  heresy."    2  Pet.  2:1. 

This  remark  may  be  extended  to  the  whole  scrip- 
tures. Why  were  they  written  at  all,  since  a  para- 
mount rule,  a  superior  light,  pre-existed  universally  1 
why  was  so  much  written,  when  ten  sentences  or 
none  might  have  sufficed  to  put  men  upon  their  in- 
ternal resources?  and  why  was  such  a  book  writ- 
ten, when  the  only  possible  use  of  any  book  could 
be  to  inform  men  of  a  superior  light,  which  they 
could  not  see  by  its  own  beams,  nor  feel  by  its  own 
fire  1  Those  best  acquainted  with  the  sober  con- 
tents of  the  whole  Bible,  are  best  qualified  to  an- 
swer these  questions — especially  if  (which  is  a  rare 
thing)  they  happen  also  to  understand  Quakerism. 

6.  But  suppose  it  proves  the  reality  of  a  univer- 
sal inward  light,  shining  constantly  and  yet  near  to 
suffocation,  somewhere  above  or  below  the  dia- 
phragm— not  to  be  too  nice  on  questions  that  tend 
to  researches  topical  and  physiological,  I  discern 
another  difficulty.  I  could  not  descend  into  their 
mine,  without  a  better  safety-lamp  than  Sir  Hum- 
phrey Davy  could  invent,  against  the  detonation  of 
subterranean  gases  !  I  have  no  "  faith  in  the 
effectual  operation"  of  the  non-descript  glimmer 
within. 


430 


Why  1    Plainly,  because  an  old  man  might  believe 
in  the  existence  of  "  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind," 
without  making  a  walking-cane  of  it.    Even  if  the 
light  within  exists,  and  if  this  text  proves  it,  the 
very  same  connection  proves  that — it  is  not  a  rule 
at  all  or  a  totally  insufficient  one,  and  in  either  case 
disproves  the  doctrine  of  Friends.    For  (1)  it  is 
not  discernible  by  its  own  light.  "  The  light  shin- 
eth  in  darkness  ;  and  the  darkness  comprehended 
it  not."    Hence  the  ministry  is  necessary,  by  the 
word  of  God  to  teach  men  ;  as  John  "  was  sent  to 
bear  witness  of  that  light,"  else  undiscoverable. 
But  (2)  John  did  not  point  out  that  light ;  the  idea 
of  such  a  splendor  or  spark  within,  seems  never  to 
have  entered  his  mind.     He  testifies  of  Jesus 
Christ,  points  to  "  the  Lamb  of  God,"  and  tells  the 
people  to  "behold "him.  v.  15-36.    Hence  (3)  the 
word  of  God  is  the  rule,  and  this  light,  whatever 
else  it  is,  is  plainly  no  rule  at  all ;  but  that  word  is, 
led  by  which,  we  see  the  light  and  walk  in  it.  I  am 
here  not  explaining  the  text,  so  much  as  confuting 
their  view  of  it.    (4)  The  light,  construed  by  ad- 
mission as  that  of  Friends,  is  plainly  inefficacious. 
Not  one  in  fifty  millions  of  its  subjects  ever  knew 
of  any  such  thing  in  them,  or  even  thought  they  did. 
Hence  it  is  insufficient  and  ineffectual.    It  is  not 
"  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation,"  without  be- 
ing '  outwardly'  taught  by  Friends  what  to  do  with 
it !    Hence  it  cannot  be  so  superior  to  the  "  holy 
scriptures  "  as  to  take  precedency  of  them  and  re- 
duce them  to  the  rank  of  "  a  secondary  rule."  (5) 
Soberly,  we  allege  that  there  exists  no  supernatural 


431 


light  in  men  ;  and  consequently,  as  the  word  of  God 
is  the  supreme  law,  the  action  of  the  living  minis- 
try commending  that  word  to  our  cordial  and  prac- 
tical regards,  is  reasonable  and  requisite.  But 
plainly  the  whole  connection  including  the  text, 
"excellently  and  evidently"  shows  no  inward  light 
in  men  or  inward  light  at  all.  Least  of  all  does  it 
support  the  heretical  madness  of  a  rule  in  men 
superior  to  the  inspired  scriptures :  and  on  the 
whole,  it  is  certain  that  there  is  not  a  particle  of 
distinctive  Quakerism  in  that  noble  chapter — 
which  some  have  dared  to  defame  by  calling  it 
"  the  chapter  of  Quaker  light !" 

It  may  seem  strange  to  all  but  Friends,  or  those 
who  know  them,  that  I  have  spent  so  much  time  in 
correcting  their  interpretation.  But  a  few  words 
of  error,  especially  when  widely  circulated  and  de- 
voutly believed,  require  many  words  to  refute  them. 
What  an  encyclopedia  of  vol  uminoiis  tod  would 
it  properly  require  to  follow  Barclay  through  the 
almost  600  octavo  pages  (densely  printed — as  this 
is  not)  of  his  elaborate  work,  and  refute  all  the 
specious  theological  nonsense  and  error  with  which 
an  unprejudiced  christian  reader  can  see  that  it 
abounds  ! 

The  only  remaining  passage  to  which  Barclay 
refers  for  "  excellent  and  evident "  proof,  of  a  uni- 
versal INWARD  LIGHT  in  depraved  sinners,  "  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins  "  as  they  walk  on  the  foot- 
stool of  God,  which  is  cursed  for  their  sake,  Gen. 
3  :  17.  6  :  5, 11,  12,  is  found  in  Titus,  2:11.  "  For 


432 


the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  ap- 
peared to  all  men,  teaching  us,"  &c. 

I  know  exactly  how  they  use  this  text,  and  how 
much  they  fondle  it,  and  how  often  their  inspiration 
starts  from  its  list  to  run  the  race  of  folly,  fiction, 
forgery  and — devotional  sm  !    Often  have  I  heard, 
and  seen,  and  wondered,  and  been  mightily  con- 
vinced and  moved,  as  many  another  deluded  igno- 
ramus was,  while  some  spiritual  sooth-sayer,  male 
or  female,  "  borne  sublime  upon  the  cherub  wings 
of  ecstacy  "  and  soaring  beyond  all  truth  and  evi- 
dence, was  inspired  to  convey  to  us  its  true  import 
exegetical.    Often,  as  I  well  recollect,  have  I  been 
solemnly  duped,  as  well  as  others,  with  the  fallacy. 
Does  any  one  say,  Well !  forgive  them.  We  are  all 
liable  to  make  mistakes.    We  must  bear  with  one 
another.  Answer,  I  bear  them  any  thing  but  per- 
sonal ill-will ;  God  is  witness  :  and  in  this  sense,  I 
pardon  them  with  all  my  heart,  for  deluding  my  in- 
fancy, infatuating  my  education,  and  jeoparding  my 
soul — and  for  doing  more  mischief  to  some  of  my 
own  flesh  and  blood  yet  steeped  profound  in  the 
spell  of  their  delirium  !    I  can  compassionate  and 
would  kindly  repair  the  mistake  of  a  fellow  mortal, 
black  or  white.    But  when  he  dares  to  charge  his 
errors  and  his  moral  agency  identified  upon  his 
Maker  ;  make  him  alone  accountable  for  them  ;  and 
claim  the  impunity  of  assumed,  and  most  falsely 
assumed,  inspiration  ;  and  this  is,  in  cool  and  un- 
exaggerated  fact,  their  universal  claim  when- 
ever THEY  preach  ;  I  feel  as  if  a  calm  reprehen- 
sion merely  of  their  fault  were  criminal  in  me,  es- 


433 


pecialjy  as  the  error  is  of  a  kind  at  once  so  delete- 
rious to  the  interests  of  souls,  so  dishonoring  to  the 
great  God,  so  impalpable  to  the  populace  and  even 
to  the  more  intelligent  of  the  general  community. 

Their  argument  now  to  be  examined  is  much  on 
thiswise:  Here  it  hath  "appeared  to  all  men;" 
that  is,  "  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  " 
hath  :  but  how  hath  it  so  appeared  ]  Have  "  all 
men  "  the  scriptures  and  other  outward  means  1  not 
so  !  but  all  men  have  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  in 
their  hearts  ;  and  in  that  temple  of  the  heart  has  this 
grace  appeared,  &c.  Then  they  appeal  to  their 
hearers  and  apply  their  version,  by  confounding  the 
mere  actings  of  conscience  (armed  it  may  be  with 
some  remembered  passages  of  "  the  word  of  God  ") 
with  the  agency  of  the  Spirit  in  all  men :  and  say, 
Hast  thou  never  felt  something  that  reproved  thee 
in  doing  wrong,  that  commended  thee  in  doing  right, 
and  that  could  not  be  bribed  or  "removed  into  a  cor- 
ner]" And  so  forth  to  the  end;  while  listening 
hundreds  are  convinced,  refreshed,  and — deluded. 
They  often  make  episodes  at  such  a  time,  when  a 
lucid  interpretation  moves  that  way  their  bowels,  in 
praise  of  the  scriptures  :  as  "given  forth"  by  that 
light ;  as  an  outward  testimony  to  be  sure  ;  but  still, 
one  in  which  the  doctrine  and  views  of  "  ancient 
Friends"  are  "excellently  and  evidently"  mani- 
fested ;  and  as  being,  on  the  whole,  "a  secondary 
rule  "  of  considerable  respectability. 

But  it  is  time  to  explode  their  fallacy.  It  may  be 
premised  that  the  text  truly  yields  them  not  the  least 
particle  of  support.    The  abstract  proposition,  that 

55 


434 


such  "  grace  hath  appeared  to  all  men,"  I  fearlessly 
pronounce  to  be  as  flat  and  certain  an  impossibility 
IN  POINT  OF  FACT  as  is  the  .monstrosity  of  transub- 
stantiation.  But  still  I  should  not  so  assert  its  fal- 
lacy were  it  not  for  this  cardinal  fact — that  THE 
PASSAGE  IS  FALSELY  TRANSLATED. 
There  is  no  such  proposition  in  the  original.  Genu- 
ine inspiration  NEVER  taught  such  a  sentiment, 
since  the  birth  of  time  or  before.  Does  the  reader 
say,  How  are  Friends  to  blame  for  that  1  I  answer, 
they  are  not  to  blame  for  that.  It  was  done  before 
they  were  born  ;  or  George  Fox  either,  eleven  years 
before  the  important  epoch  of  his  birth.  But — what 
is  inspiration  that  is  not  to  bla3IE  for  blundering 
most  egregiously,  where  a  little  honesty  with  the 
school-taught  "  gift  of  tongues  "  perusing  the  ori- 
ginal, exclaims,  why  no  such  proposition  is  there! 

It  is  perhaps  an  error,  though  comparatively  of 
no  importance,  to  render  the  adjective,  one  word, 
acdrrjpiog,  "  that  bringeth  salvation."  It  seems  ra- 
ther too  strong.  Still,  its  strict  English  synonyme, 
salutary,  is  not  strong  enough.  It  means  "  tending 
to  salvation  ;"  and  perhaps  "  salvation-bearing,"  as  a 
compound  epithet  or  qualifier,  were  nearl}'  the  sense 
of  the  original. 

In  grammar,  theology,  and  fact,  I  have  now  a 
graver  error  to  expose.  Why  is  the  word,  "  ap- 
peared," made  to  govern  (as  if  it  did  in  the  Greek) 
the  phrase,  "  to  all  men  1"  It  does  not ;  and  it  can- 
not be  so  construed  legitimately.  The  Greek  does 
not  say  that  it  "hath  appeared  to  all  men ;"  but  it 
says  that  it  is  "  salutary  or  salvation-bearing  to  all 


4-35 


men,"  wherever  it  comes,  or  (like  the  rising  splen- 
dors of  the  sun)  wherever  it  appears. 

Admit  a  digression  here,  (such  an  oasis  is  grateful 
to  the  christian  traveller  in  the  sandy  desert  of  con- 
troversy,) to  ask.  What  if  men  should  respond  to 
the  gospel  appositely  and  heartily  wherever  it  ap- 
pears 1  Is  it  not  what  God  cordially  desires  them 
to  do  1  It  would  bear  salvation  into  their  bosoms 
universally  !  It  would  roll  its  volume  of  blessedness 
gloriously  round  the  globe  !  It  would  emparadise  us 
all  in  its  large  enclosures,  as  primeval  Eden  could  not 
our  first  progenitors  !  And  whose  is  the  fault  that  it 
fails  of  this  splendid  resuk  ?  Rom.  9 :  32,  33.  The 
gospel  is  in  no  sense  at  fault.  Still,  how  glorious, 
and  jin  grace  how  pre-eminent,  is  that  discriminat- 
ing sovereignty,  supervening  just  here,  "according 
to  the  election  of  grace  !"    Rom.  11:5. 

I  will  render  it,  as  nearly  as  our  idiom  will  admit, 
(and  that  is  very  near,  in  this  instance,)  precisely 
as  the  words  occur  in  the  original,  though  necessa- 
rily with  diminished  force  and  certainty ;  thus : 
"  For  hath  appeared  the  grace  of  God,  which  is  sal- 
vation-bearing to  all  men,  teaching  us,"  &c.  In 
the  Greek  the  word  hath  appeared  (Ejts^avyi)  occurs 
first  of  all  in  the  sentence  ;  and  cannot  in  any  right 
way  affect  the  syntax  or  the  sense  of  "  all  men ;" 
which  occurs  at  the  end,  in  the  dative,  plainly  go- 
verned by  the  adjective  which  I  have  rendered  "sal- 
vation-bearing." If  there  is  any  defect  in  this  evi- 
dence, it  is  wholly  relative.  It  respects  simply  the 
fact  that  ordinary  readers  cannot  appreciate  an  ar- 
gument drawn  from  the  Greek  language.    Still,  or- 


436 


dinary  readers  may  believe  the  facts  which  I  allege ; 
and  no  scholar,  tyro  though  he  be  in  Uteris  graecis, 
can  help  seeing  the  truths  of  the  facts,  if  he  will 
open  his  Testament  at  the  place.  But  if  the  facts 
are  true,  so  are  the  inferences :  this  any  common 
mind  of  common  honesty  can  well  discern  ;  and 
all  that  is  'excellently  and  evidently'  proved,  by  the 
passage  of  Barclay's  inspired  and  confident  quota- 
tion, is — that  the  inspiration  of  the  Quakers  is  sor- 
ry imposture,  and  that  ihe  word  of  God  yields  them 
no  support.     Quakerism  is  NOT  Christianity. 

The  apostle  had  been  mentioning  relative  du- 
ties, and  enjoining  their  performance  on  different 
classes  and  conditions  of  men,  in  the  previous  con- 
text. He  had  specified  "  aged  men,  and  women, 
young  women,  young  men,  servants,  masters," 
and  others  :  then  the  text  is  introduced  which  de- 
clares that  "  the  grace  of  God  hath  appeared 
that  it  brings  salvation  "  to  all  men  ;"  and  that  it 
"  teaches  us,"  &c.  Mind,  reader,  it  is  one  thing 
for  salvation  to  be  brought  to  you  ;  and  another 
for  you  to  accept  it.  Tendency  is  one  thing ;  ef- 
fect another.  Yet  both  are  necessary  to  a  realized 
salvation.  Again,  what  a  dreadful  error  it  is,  which 
the  gloss  of  Friends,  from  the  mere  surface  of  a 
mistaken  and  unskilful  rendering,  maintains  !  Fare- 
well, all  missionary  hopes  and  efforts  !  "  The  grace 
of  God  which  bringeth  salvation  iiath  appeared 
TO  ALL  MEN  !"  This  proposition,  as  such,  is  ab- 
solutely and  eminently  false  !  In  the  previous  chap- 
ter, verse  3,  it  is  said  that  God  hath  "  manifested  his 
word  THROUGH  PREACHING  ;"  but  this  is  doubtful  or 


437 


superfluous,  if  it  is  manifested  in  every  heart ;  if 
it  hath  actually  "  appeared  to  all  men "  in  their 
minds  ;  if  it  hath  a  universal  location  in  that 
dark  interior  !  I  cannot  help  censuring  the  error  ; 
and  blaming,  in  the  name  of  Jesns  Christ,  the  peo- 
ple that  propagate  it.  It  is  a  dreadful  forgery  against 
the  life  of  souls.  Its  central  point,  its  fulcrum,  and 
its  rest,  that  saving  grace  has  appeared  to  all 
men,"  is  a  most  palpable  falsity  ;  and  deserves 
to  be  displayed,  that  it  may  be  known  by  those 
who  are  now  "  ignorant  of  his  devices  "  and  blindly 
accessary  to  his  homicidal  reign,  who  "  was  a 
murderer  from  the  beginning."  And  yet  I  know 
that  if  the  evidence  takes  hold  of  a  Friend,  it  will 
draw  blood !  How  can  he  give  up  his  faith  in  the 
"  effectual  operation,"  and  the  "  objective  manifes- 
tations," of  a  "  universal  inward  light  1"  How  ad- 
mit the  serene  delusion  of  "  early  Friends  V  How 
withdraw  his  confidence  from  Barclay,  whose  per- 
formance in  his  esteem  has  been  such  a  master- 
piece as  to  non-plus  forever  the  whole  "  CLERGY, 
of  what  sort  soever,  unto  whose  hands  his  volume 
may  come ;  but  more  particularly,  the  doctors, 
PROFESSORS,  and  students  of  divinity  in  the  univer- 
sities and  schools  of  Great  Britain,  whether  pre- 
latical,  presbyterian,  or  any  other;"  to  whom  it  is 
thus  pompously  addressed,  with  all  the  holy  defiance 
of  a  man  whose  inward  light  renders  him  at  least 
infallible ! 

Having  gone  through  the  examination  of  the 
illustrious  proof-texts  to  which  he  refers  us,  in  the 
end  of  his  "  sixth  proposition,"  as  if  they  were  not 


433 


all  witnesses  against  him  only,  I  shall  conclude  this 
chapter  with  the  inspection  of  some  others  ;  almost 
as  illustrious  and  as  powerfully  in  their  favor,  as 
those  we  have  just  considered.  Some  stars  are  so 
brilliant  and  beautiful  that  it  requires  a  practised 
astronomic  eye  to  see  it,  if  they  do  not  belong  to 
the  first-magnitude  class.  I  here  claim  again  to 
speak  as  a  witness ;  and  shall  mention  some  that 
occur  indeed  in  their  books,  but  which  I  have  more 
felt  in  their  public  ministrations,  and  which  now  I 
know  to  be  nothing  but  stupefactions  of  the  truth — 
as  they  inspire  and  enunciate  them.  O  what  a  spec- 
tacle for  angels  to  weep  at,  is — a  large  Quaker 
meeting  of  deluded  souls,  believing  in  things  that 
have  no  existence  !  and  disbelieving,  as  priest-craft, 
the  demonstrable  realities  of  God!  and  trepanned, 
the  whole  of  them,  with  the  conceit  of  immediate 
inspiration,  as  the  infallible  light  of  their  miserable 
dreams  and  devout  hallucinations !  Will  George 
Fox  defend  them  in  the  day  of  judgment  1  Will  he 
be  their  "  advocate  with  the  Father  V  "  But  if  any 
man  be  ignorant,  let  him  be  ignorant."  1  Cor.  14  :  38. 

"A  portion  of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  man  to 
profit  withal  ;"  as  I  have  often  heard  them  say,  and 
then  dilate  on  the  imagination.  It  is  so  quoted  fre- 
quently by  Fox,  Penn,  and  others.  Some  however 
quote  the  passage  as  it  is,  1  Cor.  12:  7.  "But  the 
manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  man  to 
profit  withal."  Their  meaning  is  plain.  It  is  that 
every  one  of  us  is  distributively  furnished  with  a 
quantum  sufUcit  of  inward  light,  as  a  starting  capi- 
tal for  spiritual  augmentation  and  "profit"  to  our- 


/ 


439 


selves  ;  that  this  is  a  gift  of  the  Spirit  in  us  all  uni- 
versally, not  only  "  every  maw,"  but  every  one  of 
the  species,  of  whatever  age,  sex,  or  description  ; 
and  that  the  grand  business  of  life  is — to  walk  by 
that  internal  light  as  our  "  more  excellent  way,"  our 
chief  and  paramount  rule  in  religion ;  the  word  of 
God  being  sublimely  postponed  to  it.  So  say  Mar- 
tha Rowth,  Sarah  Grubb,  Job  Scott,  Robert  Bar- 
clay, and  ancient  Friends,  Hence  Quakerism 
makes  its  regards  chiefly  concentre  every  way  to- 
ward the  very  penetralia  of  the  soul,  the  blazing 
focus  of  the  light  within !  And  why  not  \  This 
is  consistency. 

Quam  Juno  fertur  terris  magis  omnibus  unam 
Posthabita  coluisse  Samo  :  hie  illius  arma, 
Hie  currus  fuit :  hoe  regnum  Dea  gentibus  esse, 
Siqua  fata  sinant,  jam  turn  tenditque  fovetque. — Virg. 

The  goddess  this  is  said  to  have  preferred 
Above  all  lands  alone  ;  and  to  have  cared 
Less  for  deserted  Samos  :  here  her  arms, 
Her  chariot  here,  her  treasures,  and  her  charms. 
This  for  the  nations  she  designed  the  port ; 
The  world's  chief  glory  and  its  loved  resort. 
Would  but  the  fates -permit  !  and  hence  she  tends 
And  cherishes  its  interests  and  defends  ! 

Excuse  the  bathos  of  the  application.  It  is  like 
falling  from  the  chariot  of  the  sun,  into  the  inward 
light  (to  say  nothing  of  the  fire)  of  the  crater  of 
Vesuvius.  I  am  not  sure  but  a  little  of  the  ridicu- 
lous may  be  of  service.  And  if  so,  no  thanks  to 
me !  No  invention  of  mine  has  the  right  to  be 
credited.    I  can  say  with  Young  as  pompously, 


440 


1  find  my  inspiration  in  my  theme  : 
The  grandeur  of  my  subject  is  my  muse. 

Soberly,  however,  /  am  not  inspired  at  all ;  and 
shall  proceed  in  a  common  sense  way,  as  Friends 
do  not — why  should  they  1 — to  show  them,  or  others 
as  the  case  may  be,  that  the  passage  in  question 
belongs  all  to  "  the  steeple-houses  and  the  world's 
people  and  hireling  priests  ;"  at  least  that  it  is  none 
of  theirs.  It  is  not  felonious  to  reclaim  one's  own 
from  pillagers  ;  however  "  sincere  "  they  were  in 
finding  what  was  not  lost,  or  in  making  mistakes 
systematically  in  the  way  of  their  vocation.  But 
who  can  forgive  inspiration  for  making  mistakes  1 
Had  I  that  plenipotentiary  gift  of  God,  I  would  care 
nothing  for  critics  of  any  sort,  nor  stoop  to  ask  cle- 
mency of  the  intellect,  the  feelings,  or  the  con- 
science of  the  reader. 

Take  a  few  specimens  of  high  pretension  from 
the  fountain  head.  Only  a  few,  where  hundreds 
similar,  with  disgusting  repetition,  are  seen.  It  is 
not  generally  believed  how  high  their  claims  rise. 

"  I  saw,"  says  Fox — meaning  by  plenary  inspira- 
tion, "that  the  grace  of  God,  which  brings  salva- 
tion, had  appeared  to  all  men,  and  that  the  mani- 
festation of  the  Spirit  of  God  was  given  to  every 
man  to  profit  withal.  These  things  I  did  not  see 
by  the  help  of  man,  nor  by  the  letter,  though  they 
were  written  in  the  letter:  But  I  saw  them  in  the 
light  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  his  immedi- 
ate Spirit  and  power,  as  did  the  holy  men  of  God  by 
whom  the  holy  scriptures  were  written."    On  the 


441 


same  page  he  says,  "  When  the  Lord  God  and  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ  sent  me  forth  into  the  world  to 
preach  his  everlasting  gospel  and  kingdom,  I  was 
glad  that  I  was  commanded  to  turn  people  to  that 
inward  light,  spirit,  and  grace,  by  which  all  might 
know  their  salvation  and  their  way  to  God  ;  even 
that  Divine  Spirit  which  would  lead  them  into  all 
truth,  and  which  I  infallibly  knew  Avould  never  de- 
ceive any."  Here  is  inspiration,  infallibility,  and 
full  equality  with  apostles  and  prophets  "by  whom 
the  holy  scriptures  were  written !"  Again,  "  The 
Lord  God  opened  to  me  by  his  invisible  power,  how, 
'  every  man  was  enlightened  by  the  divine  light  of 
Christ.'  I  saw  it  shine  through  all,  &c.  This  I 
saw  in  the  pure  openings  of  the  light  without  the 
help  of  any  man  ;  neither  did  I  then  know  where  to 
find  it  in  the  scriptures  ;  though  afterward,  search- 
ing the  scriptures,  I  found  it."  Is  this  the  kind  and 
degree  of  inspiration  that  must  be  excused  and  com- 
passionated for  mistakes,  blunders,  lying,  and  sor- 
cery 1  for  vending  "  damnable  heresies  "  in  the  name 
of  God  1  for  deluding  thousands  of  silly  and  credu- 
lous persons,  the  unstable  and  the  ignorant,  and 
sometimes  the  educated  and  the  respectable  I  Is  it  no 
sin  to  poison  the  waters  of  the  sanctuary  1  None — 
but  I  forbear!  I  write  for  sober  and  unprejudiced 
readers  ;  and  am  willing  to  rest  the  appeal  with 
them  whether  one  can  have  too  much  zeal  in  the 
exposure  and  extirpation  of  such  a  system?  It  is 
not  "  an  iniquity  to  be  punished  by  the  judges  ;"  but 
it  is  an  iniquity  of  aspects  and  relations  infinitely 
terrible,    ff?'  To  expose  their  inspiration,  as  the 

56 


442 

centre  of  their  system,  is  one  chief  design  of  this 
pubhcation.  I  view  it  as  spiritual  falsehood,  sor- 
cery, and  delusion — almost  without  an  equal  in  the 
world.  Modern  cheats  and  inventions  are  quite  in- 
ferior. Mormonism  is  more  gross  and  revolting. 
St.  Simonism,  with  its  "  family,"  is  palpably  ridicu- 
lous and  false.  But  Quakerism  is  more  specious, 
more  seraphic,  more  impalpable  every  way,  more 
refined,  a  better  counterfeit,  more  imposing :  but  in 
some  respects  more  criminal,  more  destructive  and 
subverting  than  either! 

In  respect  to  the  true  sense  of  the  passage,  I  re- 
mark, 

1.  That  "every  man"  in  that  place,  does  not 
mean  every  human  being  ;  but  every  one  of  those 
only,  concerning  whom  demonstrably  the  apostle 
speaks :  every  christian,  or  every  member,  and  es- 
pecially every  officer,  of  the  church  of  God.  Read 
the  context  and  take  the  drift  of  his  homily.  He 
speaks  to  the  church  and  of  the  church  collectively, 
as  "  the  body  of  Christ"  with  its  many  "  members  ;'' 
and  each  member,  as  appointed  to  a  peculiar  office  ; 
and  each  office,  as  differing  in  form  and  in  magni- 
tude, in  honor  and  in  importance,  from  the  others  ; 
and  all  the  offices,  as  having  a  common  scope,  a 
common  spirit,  and  a  common  glory  in  Christ. 

2.  Besides,  "the  manifestation"  given  is  not  a 
passive  one;  not  an  objective  revelation  made  to 
us:  but  AN  ACTIVE  manifestation  made  hyus;  "the 
manifestation  of  the  Spirit"  to  others.  It  were  bet- 
ter rendered  or  paraphrased  thus ;  "  The  duty  and 
office  of  manifesting  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  to  others, 


4 


443 

and  so  of  diftusing  his  homogeneous  ligfit  in  this 
dark  world,  is  confided  responsibly  to  every  one  of 
you,  to  every  member  of  the  body  of  Christ,  in  this 
and  all  coming  ages.  True,  all  have  not  the  same 
office,  nor  each  an  office  of  honor  equal  to  that  of 
others ;  still,  all  are  honored,  all  are  obligated,  all 
are  called  and  qualified  for  some  appropriate  service 
in  the  church  ;  each  is  "  necessary  "  to  the  others  : 
and  by  all  in  different  ways,  the  Spirit  is  'mani- 
fested,' and  his  influence  diflTused."  The  original 
word,  rendered  "  the  manifestation,"  n  (pavepQCig,  oc- 
curs only  in  one  other  place  ;  where  the  sense  is 
quite  parallel  and  perfectly  clear  :  1  Cor.  4  :  2. 
"  by  manifestation  of  the  truth,"  i.  e.  actively  man- 
ifesting IT,  "  commending  ourselves  to  every  man's 
conscience  in  the  sight  of  God."  A  preacher  has  a 
noble  office  of  "  manifesting  the  Spirit,"  confided  to 
him  ;  and  a  poor,  sequestered,  pious  old  woman, 
such  as  my  eye  at  this  moment  mentally  sees,  on 
her  couch  of  debility,  or  in  her  chamber  of  privation, 
a  prisoner,  (I  mean  a  real  individual — and  many 
others  thei*e  are,)  has  an  honorable  office  also  ; 
manifesting  the  Spirit  in  a  way  of  holy  exemplifica- 
tion, of  cheerful  and  lucid  faith  in  Christ,  of  patience 
and  pain,  of  resignation,  constancy,  prayer,  and 
words  of  grace,  "  seasoned  with  salt,  that  minister 
grace  to  the  hearers,"  and  that  are  "  good  to  the 
use  of  edifying."    Eph.  4 :  29.  Col.  4:6. 

3.  The  end  of  this  distribution  is  declared,  npog 
ro  dvfKpspov,  "  for  the  common  benefit ;"  or,  as  Dr. 
Macknight  has  it,  "  to  each  is  given  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  for  the  advantage  of  all."  This 


444 


is  very  diverse  from  the  view  of  Friends.  Accord- 
ing to  them,  it  is,  as  I  said,  a  private  capital  at 
starting,  to  be  improved  for  the  individual  behoof 
of  its  possessor  in  every  case ;  it  is  that  without 
which  we  should  scarce  be  accountable,  and  with 
which  our  grand  business  in  life  is — 

"  To  turn  our  optics  tji  upon't. 
#  «  *  #  « 

"  Strange  too  that  men  of  inward  light 
"  Dont  draw  bonds  and  mortgages  by't !" 

If  this  is  ridiculous,  I  cannot  help  it ;  it  is  the 
folly  of  Quakerism,  a  monstrous  spiritual  hoax,  that 
more  injures  thousands  than  telling  them  of  it  can 
injure  any.  Clear  is  my  own  conviction  that  the 
good  of  souls  and  of  society  requires  its  exposure ; 
and  that  /  am  "  manifesting  the  Spirit,"  according 
to  the  office  given  me,  in  some  humble  degree, 
when  I  hold  it  up  to  the  scorn  of  conscience  and 
the  abhorrence  of  mankind.  I  do  it  "  for  the  ad- 
vantage of  all ;"  or,  the  common  benefit. 

We  may  here  see  the  causes  that  freeze  the  feel- 
ings of  Friends  in  respect  to  the  christian  charities 
of  the  day.  They  believe  that  "  the  grace  of  God," 
the  very  grace  "  that  bringeth  salvation,"  hath  ac- 
tually "  appeared  to  all  men  ;"  and  that  every  hu- 
man being  has  an  inserted  quantum  or  "  manifesta- 
tion of  the  Spirit :"  and  if  we  or  the  apostles  be- 
lieved so — why,  what  silly  dotards,  to  "  go  into  all 
the  world  and  preach  (audibly  proclaim  and  orally 
communicate)  the  gospel  to  every  creature,"  at  such 
hazard,  pain,  and  cost  of  every  sort !    Hence  their 


445 


equivocal  love,  (with  very  few  exceptions,)  rather 
their  ill  disguised  antipathy,  to  Bible  societies  and  all 
such  institutions  of  purely  spiritual  charity  !  Hence 
I  endeavor  to  show  the  real  or  more  potent  moral 
causes  of  their  armed  neutrality.  All  however  ought 
to  concur  with  me  and  do  the  same.  Christians  are 
one.  1  might  anglicise  the  original  word,  rendered 
"to  profit  withal,"  and  say  that  christians  are  a  sym- 
PHERiAN  SOCIETY  ;  a  Spiritual  corporation,  for  mu- 
tual aid  and  mutual  action,  against  a  common  foe, 
and  with  a  common  motive,  bond,  and  ultimate  re- 
ward. Glorious  community  !  Blessed  common- 
wealth !  "  How  goodly  are  thy  tents,  O  Jacob  ;  thy 
tabernacles,  O  Israel !  Surely  there  is  no  enchant- 
ment against  Jacob,  neither  is  there  any  divination 
against  Israel :  according  to  this  time  it  shall  be 
said  of  Jacob  and  of  Israel,  What  hath  God 
WROUGHT  !  Blessed  is  he  that  blesseth  thee,  and 
cursed  is  he  that  curseth  thee  !"  One  reason  that 
Friends  adduce  or  feel,  why  they  are  so  sparsely 
and  so  seldom  seen  in  the  operations  of  the  Bible 
cause,  is — the  peculiar  testimonies  given  them  to 
maintain  !  A  better  version  of  the  matter  is — their 
abandoned  sectarianism  ;  the  misrepresentation  (not 
"  the  manifestation)  of  the  Spirit "  in  their  charac- 
teristic way  ;  the  important  duty  of  sustaining  their 
clanish  singularities  !  And  pray,  do  they  think  it 
the  best  way  to  fight — to  keep  out  of  the  way  !  can 
they  best  "  maintain"  ihe'xr:  singular  way  of  speech, 
behavior,  and  attire,  and  other  important  testimo- 
nies, by  withdrawing  from  their  presence  whom 
such  lucid  examples  and  protests  as  theirs  were 


446 


given  on  purpose  to  instruct  or  improve  or  w^arn  1 
What  martyrs  of  a  peculiar  order,  these  modern 
ones,  for  the  sake  of  "  weighty  testimonies  !"  The 
fact  is,  they  have  ordinarily  too  much  good  sense 
or  morbid  sensitiveness,  not  to  be  ashamed — as 
they  certainly  are,  and  in  this  I  praise  them — of 
their  own  testimonies,  in  good  and  intelligent  so- 
ciety !  They  have  a  great  many  ingenious  circuities 
and  evasions,  by  which  to  slip  along  with  their  "  tes- 
timonies," without  collision,  and  without  manifest- 
ing a  single  ray  or  particle  of  light  from  the  illumi- 
nated interior,  that  might  as  well  be  "  under  a 
bushel"  at  once,  for  all  the  demonstration  it  makes! 
"  For  whatsoever  doth  make  manifest  is  light." 

Truth  is  properly  the  monopoly  of  no  man.  I 
have  no  private  creed  in  religion  ;  nor  do  I  suppose 
that  any  man  ought  to  have.  Truth  is  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Spirit,  given  for  "  manifestation  "  uni- 
versally ;  and  when  purely  manifested,  "  the  Spirit" 
is  manifested  too,  just  as  much  and  identically. 
With  the  light  of  the  Spirit  of  God  I  identify  myself 
morally ;  the  whole  of  me  ;  to  live  and  to  die,  for 
this  world  and  the  next.  O  for  grace  to  be  thus 
purely  and  perfectly  devoted  !  The  man  that  coun- 
teracts that  light,  is  no  ally  of  mine,  whoever  he 
may  be  ;  I  am  his  moral  enemy,  because  I  oppose 
him  as  such,  toto  caelo,  toto  orco  ;  and  "  go  the 
whole "  in  the  argument.  "  What  concord  hath 
Christ  with  Belial  1  or  what  part  hath  he  that  be- 
lieveth  with  an  infidel  ?"  2  Cor.  6  :  15.  And  we 
may  add  emphatically ;  "  what  communion  hath 
LIGHT  with  darkness  1"  or  legitimacy  with  usurpa- 


447 


tion  and  imposture  ?   Let  the  insipidity  of  a  semi- 
christian  answer. 

This  text  of  "  manifesting  the  Spirit,"  as  refer- 
ring to  the  duties  of  "  every  man  "  in  the  church, 
is  one  of  immense  practical  concern  ;  rich  in  its 
moral  treasures  ;  a  grand  theme  for  a  sermon  ap- 
posite to  the  present  state  of  the  churches ;  and 
worthy  of  large  and  thorough  application  :  but  I 
forbear,  having  other  ends  that  now  invite  me  to 
their  pursuit. 

The  passages  of  scripture  which  Friends  pervert 
are  very  many.  Their  leaders  do  it,  "  and  hold 
themselves  not  guilty  ;  and  they  that  slay  them 
say,  *  Blessed  be  the  Lord ;  for  I  am  rich  :'  and 
their  own  shepherds  pity  them  not."  It  were  easy 
for  me  to  write  another  book,  of  texts  disabused  of 
their  corrupting  glosses  and  shameful  sophistry. 
To  sophisticate  however  is  "  not  a  vain  thing  "  for 
them  ;  it  is  their  "  life."  Quakerism  must  die  the 
moment  it  understands  the  subject  and  learns  to 
reason  fairly.  I  will  select  a  few  passages,  say 
three  ;  of  whose  gross  perversion  I  have  been  ex- 
perimentally connusant ;  and  the  last  in  the  series 
of  which  is  worthy  of  distinguished  consideration — 
since  it  seems  to  me,  as  certain  as  any  mathema- 
tical proposition  that  can  be  named,  to  explode  the 
foundations  of  Quakerism,  and  to  demonstrate  the 
supremacy  of  the  scriptures  forever. 

"  He  that  beheveth,  maketh  not  haste."  That  is, 
he  sits  "  still "  in  Friends'  meeting.  A  kind  old 
Friend,  a  preacheress,  for  whom  indeed  I  feel  a  re- 
ciprocal kindness,  (for  she  is  very  "  sincere  "  in  her 


448 


errors,)  once  quoted  it  to  me  with  great  tenderness, 
just  before  I  left  the  society.  It  meant,  pause,  "  get 
still,"  and  show  the  temper  of  him  "that  believeth," 
by — holy  inaction,  serene  stagnation,  a  do-nothing 
kind  of  piety ;  avoiding  "the  activity  of  the  creature" 
and  the  learning  of  the  colleges  !  Ah !  this  tenderness 
of  a  refined  and  elegant,  a  really  kind  and  clever 
Quaker  lady!  It  is  very  persuasive.  It  is  a  charm  of- 
ten of  sovereign  fascination  and  success.  It  is  much 
more  potent  than  argument.  I  bear  them  record 
that  their  ladies  are,  some  of  them,  characteristically 
refined,  chaste,  and  stainless  in  purity  of  behavior ; 
possessed  of  qualities  that  adorn  private  life,  gild  the 
social  circle  with  a  lustre  of  comparatively  innocent 
delight,  improve  the  manners  and  sentiments  of 
youth,  and  constitute  about  as  fine  a  substitute  for 
the  religion  of  the  gospel  as  one  will  find  any  where ! 
But — to  the  text.  It  occurs  in  Isaiah,  28  :  16.  Com- 
pare it  with  Rom.  10  : 11.  1  Pet.  2 :  6.  Its  true  sense 
is  plain,  as  quoted  in  the  New  Testament.  Friends 
quote  it  wrong  in  form,  as  well  as  substance.  It  is, 
He  that  believeth,  shall  not  make  haste."  It  is 
future,  not  present ;  and  it  means,  he  shall  not 
retreat,  run  away  in  clandestine  "  haste,"  "  be 
ashamed,"  or  "confounded,"  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment :  that  is,  he  shall  not,  who  "  believeth  on  Him" 
that  is  the  foundation-stone  of  Zion,  laid  there  as 
the  basis  of  the  church  by  the  Eternal  Master 
Builder.  It  has  no  affinity  with  the  softness  and 
the  insipidity  of  what  they  chiefly  value  and  inspire. 

There  is  another,  which  they  quote  as  it  is  not, 
in  favor  of  their  light,  with  very  great  unction  and 


449 


frequent  enlargement.  It  respects  "  the  great  in- 
ward Teacher  "  of  their  faith  ;  as  one  that  cannot 
"  be  removed  into  a  corner,"  they  say.  Paul  was 
once  put  into  "  a  basket "  and  "  through  a  window  " 
"  let  down  by  the  wall ;  and  in  that  way  escaped 
the  hands"  of  "the  governor  under  Aretas  the 
king."  This  was  as  bad  to  the  poor  Damascenes 
or  the  christians  of  that  city,  as  *'  removing  their 
teacher  into  a  corner." 

Quere,  Is  the  cavity  interior,  where  the  elegant 
little  light  is  inserted,  and  where  it  burns  almost 
suffocated  sometimes  by  "  the  activity  of  the  crea- 
ture," is  it  triangular,  quadrangular,  oval,  spherical, 
cylindrical,  or  of  some  other  and  better  propor- 
tions 1  It  gets  into  "  a  corner,"  it  seems,  only  by 
removal.  But  we  will  not  press  the  inquiry.  We 
have  a  promise  to  consider.  "  Thine  eyes  shall  see 
thy  Teacher;"  i.  e.  the  eyes  that  see  the  flame  of 
the  inward  light.  "  And  thine  ears  shall  hear  a 
word  behind  thee,  saying,  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye 
in  it,  when  ye  turn  to  the  right  hand,  and  when  ye 
turn  to  the  left."  Isaiah,  30  :  20,  21.  To  cut  short 
the  riddle,  and  some  treasured  anecdotes  of  curious 
fact  that  I  could  pleasantly  rehearse  in  its  solution, 
the  word  teacher  happens  to  be  plural  in  the  text ! 
and  the  original  more  evidently  demonstrates  that 
ouTWAKD  HUMAN  TEACHERS  are  meant,  in  both 
places  where  the  word  occurs  in  the  20th  verse. 
Thus  and     nix:-nj<.  How  they  dislike  the 

plural !  In  view  of  the  denounced  invasion  and 
calamity  of  the  Jewish  nation,  and  especially  of  the 
metropolis,  the  prophet  consoles  the  church  with 

57 


450 


this  assurance :  "  Though  the  Lord  give  you  the 
bread  of  adversity,  and  the  water  of  affliction,  yet 
shall  not  thy  teachers  be  removed  into  a  corner 
any  more,  but  thine  eyes  shall  see  thy  teachers  : 
and  thine  ears  shall  hear,"  &c.  How  unfortunate 
in  proof-texts  are  ancient  Friends  and  modern  ones 
too  !  We  may  infer  from  this  passage  the  follow- 
ing things  :  that  competent  religious  teachers  are 
meant ;  that  it  is  a  great  and  precious  gift  of  God 
to  have  them  ;  and  that  it  were  better  to  lose  all 
temporal  riches  than  the  privilege  of  their  ministra- 
tions, which  are  to  be  esteemed  an  appropriate  com- 
pensation in  times  of  worst  calamity.  Jer.  3  :  12-15. 
It  puts  out  the  light  that  is  in  every  man,  superior 
to  the  scripture  as  a  rule  !  At  least  it  takes  no  note 
of  that  inserted  little  focus  that  "  boasteth  great 
things."  How  confounded  I  once  saw  a  really  es- 
teemed and  honored  Friend,  by  producing  the  pas- 
sage in  a  parlor  and  reading  it  coolly  to  the  eye 
and  ear  !  Confounded,  sorry,  frightened  ; — but  "  of 
the  same  opinion  still !" 

I  now  come  to  the  last  text  to  be  considered 
here ;  and  to  which  I  have  already  alluded.  It  is 
found  in  2  Pet.  1  :  19.  After  quoting  it,  I  shall  re- 
mark on  its  history  as  connected  with  Friends  ;  and 
then  on  its  meaning,  as  subverting  their  system. 
The  translation  is  in  the  main  good  ;  but  I  will 
change  it  a  little,  by  way  of  expressing  more  truly 
the  sense  of  the  original.  "  We  have  also  the  pro- 
phetic word  made  more  firm :  to  which  word  ye  do 
well  taking  heed,  as  to  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark 


451 


(and  dreary)  place,  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the  star 
of  morning  rise  in  your  hearts." 

That  Friends  do  not  feel  quite  certain  that  they 
know  what  this  means,  is  evident  in  one  instance  at 
least !  and  yet  it  is  an  awkward  position  for  them 
to  take,  on  more  accounts  than  one.  In  an  edition 
of  Dr.  Maclaine's  Mosheim,  published  in  "  New- 
York,  1821,"  I  find  near  the  end  about  45  pages  of 
"VINDICATION  OF  THE  QuAKERS,"  Smuggled iuto 
the  fourth  volume  ;  where,  among  other  documents, 
is  one  of  "  Joseph  Gurney  Bevan,"  of  London,  in 
which  he  alludes  to  this  text,  in  connection  with 
George  Fox's  career,  and  makes  in  the  margin 
the  following  note  :  "It  seems  by  the  way,  not 
easy,  in  our  translation,  to  find  what  constitutes 
the  comparison,  in  this  passage."  Poor  man,  "not 
easy  " — had  he  been  trying  hard  to  find  it,  preacher 
as  I  suppose  he  was  !  A  very  little  sane  contem- 
plation of  the  context,  I  should  judge,  would  relieve 
his  difficulties,  even  if  he  could  search  only  "  in 
our  translation."  But  his  mighty  master  Fox  was 
in  the  same  predicament  or  a  worse  one.  Bevan  is 
commenting,  in  connection  with  the  note  above 
cited,  on  Fox's  exemplary  and  singular  trials  in  re- 
ference to  this  noted  text.  In  the  journal  of  Fox, 
he  records  his  own  exploits  in  his  own  incompara- 
ble way  ;  and  I  ask  leave  to  transcribe  the  total 
paragraph.  The  importance  of  the  principles  in- 
volved will  warrant  it. 

'•'  As  I  went  toward  Nottingham  on  a  first-day  in 
the  morning,  with  friends  to  a  meeting  there,  when 
I  came  on  the  top  of  a  hill  in  sight  of  the  town,  I 


452 


espied  the  great  steeple-house ;  and  the  Lord  said 
unto  me,  '  Thou  must  go  cry  against  yonder 
great  idol,  and  against  the  worshippers  therein.'  I 
said  nothing  of  this  to  the  friends,  but  went  with 
them  to  the  meeting,  where  the  mighty  power  of  the 
Lord  God  was  amongst  us ;  in  which  I  left  friends 
sitting  in  the  meeting,  and  went  to  the  steeple- 
house.  When  I  came  there,  all  the  people  looked 
like  fallow  ground,  and  the  priest,  like  a  great  lump 
of  earth,  stood  in  his  pulpit  above  :  he  took  for  his 
text  these  words  of  Peter,  '  We  have  also  a  more 
sure  word  of  prophecy,  whereunto  ye  do  well  that 
ye  take  heed,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark 
place,  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the  day-star  arise  in 
your  hearts.'  He  told  the  people  this  was  the  scrip- 
tures, by  which  they  were  to  try  all  doctrines,  reli- 
gions and  opinions.  Now  the  Lord's  power  was 
so  mighty  upon  me,  and  so  strong  in  me,  that  I  could 
not  hold  ;  but  was  made  to  cry  out,  '  Oh  !  no  ;  it  is 
not  the  scriptures  ;'  and  told  them  it  was  the  holy 
Spirit,  by  which  the  holy  men  of  God  gave  forth 
the  scriptures,  whereby  opinions,  religions,  and 
judgments  were  to  be  tried ;  for  it  led  into  all 
truth,  and  so  gave  the  knowledge  of  all  truth. 
The  Jews  had  the  scriptures,  yet  resisted  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  rejected  Christ,  the  bright  morn- 
ing-star. They  persecuted  him  and  his  apostles, 
and  took  upon  them  to  try  their  doctrines  by 
the  scriptures,  but  erred  in  judgment,  and  did  not 
try  them  right;  because  they  tried  without  the  Holy 
Ghost.  As  I  spoke  thus  amongst  them,  the  officers 
came,  took  me  away,  and  put  me  into  a  nasty  stink- 


453 


ing  prison;  the  smell  whereof  got  so  into  my  nose 
and  throat  that  it  very  much  annoyed  me."  Thus 
far  George. 

We  may  now  observe  certain  things  that  explain 
the  text ;  that  demonstrate  the  perfect  correct- 
ness of  the  preacher,  called  by  his  invader  and  re- 
viler  "  a  great  lump  of  earth,"  in  the  position  he  ad- 
vanced ;  that  conclude  absolutely  against  the  inspi- 
ration of  Fox  and  show  of  consequence  his  wicked 
fanaticism  ;  and  that  make  the  passage  before  us  a 
luminous  protest  of  heaven  against  their  whole  sys- 
tem, and  in  favor  of  the  scriptures  as  the  only  book 
of  inspiration  in  our  world  and  the  highest  rule  of 
action  in  religion.  If  these  things  appear,  one  may 
ask  the  nature  of  that  morality  that  disturbs  wor- 
shipping assemblies  of  christians  in  the  very  time 
and  action  of  divine  service  ;  that  pronounces  the 
service  "not  divine  ;"  that  raises  riot  and  confusion 
in  the  house  of  God ;  that  molests  (and  this  it  did 
in  numerous  instances  at  first,  and  as  long  as  it 
could  conveniently  or  with  impunity,  and  would 
now  do  with  the  worst  kind  of  persecution  if  it 
dared)  others  in  their  conscientious  public  devo 
tions  ;  and  that,  after  having  provoked  the  inter- 
ference of  the  civil  authorities,  complains  of  severi- 
ty, and  uses  its  ostentatious  sufferings  to  elicit  the 
sympathies  of  the  ignorant,  to  practise  on  the  weak, 
and  to  facilitate  the  imposture  of  its  own  delusion ! 

I  do  not  say  that  Friends  never  suffered  wrong- 
fully ;  or  that  justice  was  not  often  perverted  in 
their  punishment ;  or  that  they  were  not  cruelly 
persecuted  in  many  instances :  but  I  do  say  that 


454 


they  were  too  often  the  aggressors,  and  the  consci- 
entious spiritual  persecutors  of  the  first  part ;  and 
that  such  persecution  as  theirs,  characteristically 
theirs,  is  perhaps  the  most  intolerable  in  the  world, 
as  themselves  would  now  evince,  I  fear,  if  theirs 
were  the  power  and  the  ascendency  in  the  state 
— for  we  may  hardly  trust  the  "tender  mercies" 
of  men  irresponsibly   any  where  I     I   say  also 
that  in  either  hemisphere  they  were  punished  by 
the  civil  arm  less  for  their  doctrines  as  religionists, 
than  for  their  practices  as  religionists,  against  the 
rights  of  others  and  the  laws  and  order  of  civil  so- 
ciety, going  "  naked  for  a  sign,"^^  disturbing  the 
worship  of  others,  religious  railing  and  abuse, 
calumniating  all  modes  and  ministers  of  religion 
except  their  own,  and  denouncing  others  in  the 
coarsest  and  most  offensive  style.    What  could  be 
worthier  of  censure  from  "the  officers,"  and  of 
their  power  interfering  in  the  case,  than  the  con- 
duct of  Fox  in  the  occasion  himself  describes  1 
But  that  occasion  was  only  one  of  hundreds  ;  in  all 
which  he  was  inspired  ;  the  inspirer  only  was  ac- 
countable ;  he  was  identified  with  God  ;  and  to  ani- 
madvert on  his  ways  and  doings  were  sacrilege ! 

"  We  have  also  the  prophetic  word  made  more 
firm  "  or  permanent  :  ^sSaiorepov  tov  npo^yirixov 
Tjoyov.  "  More  firm  " — than  what  \  What  is  the 
other  subject  of  comparison,  which  is  disparaged 
in  the  argument  \  Friend  Bevan,  we  remember, 
thought  it  "not  easy  to  find."  A  fox  hunter  of 
this  sort,  is  often  at  fault  when  the  game  is  near 
him,  and  quite  visible  to  those  who  prefer  the  light 


455 


of  heaven  to  inward  darkness.  Read  the  previous 
verses,  where  it  is  as  plain  as  day ;  and  as  "  easy 
to  find"  as  it  is  to  attend  to  what  "the  Spirit  saith 
to  the  churches,"  even  "in  our  translation."  Alas! 
how  hard  for  some  illuminees  "to  find"  the  sense 
of  revealed  truth  !  The  reason  is  plain.  The  re- 
cipe of  their  darkness  and  mistake,  the  amulet  of 
their  preservation  from  its  influence,  is  that  forgery 
and  folly — "  the  light  within  !"  well  may  they  take 
up  the  lamentation;  "Therefore  is  judgment  far 
from  us,  neither  doth  justice  overtake  us ;  we  wait 
for  light,  but  behold  obscurity;  for  brightness,  but 
we  walk  in  darkness.  We  grope  for  the  wall  like 
the  blind,  and  we  grope  as  if  we  had  no  eyes  :  we 
stumble  at  noon-day  as  in  the  night ;  we  are  in 
desolate  places  as  dead  men."  I  have  no  words  in 
which  to  express  my  grief,  shame,  pain,  and  indig- 
nation, at  a  system  of  delusion  so  deceitful  and  so 
fixed  with  its  talons  in  the  blood  of  its  prey ! 

In  the  previous  verses  of  the  chapter,  16-18,  Pe- 
ter refers  to  the  glorious  scene  of  the  transfiguration, 
which  himself  and  James  and  John  were  the  privi- 
leged triumvirate  to  witness.  See  Matt.  18  :  1-9. 
Mark,  9  :  2-10.  Luke,  9  :  28-36.  These  three  were 
several  times  selected  to  witness  scenes  of  privacy 
and  wonder,  which  they  were  especially  to  attest 
afterward  to  others,  for  the  confirmation  of  their 
faith.  Matt.  26  :  37.  Mark,  5  :  37.  So  here.  The 
noble  apostle  tells  what  they  saw  and  what  they 
heard  ;  "  when  there  came  such  a  voice  to  him  from 
the  excellent  glory,  '  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased.'    And  this  voice  which 


456 


came  from  heaven  we  heard,  when  we  were  with 
him  in  the  holy  mount."  O  privileged  place  ;  dis- 
tinguished hour ;  exalted  and  glorious  converse ! 
What  would  we  give  to  share  such  transcendent 
favor  !  So  near  to  heaven  ;  "  eye-witnesses  of  his 
majesty  ;"  hearing  the  very  attestation  of  the  voice 
of  God  ! 

While  his  readers  might  so  indulge  or  frame 
their  sentiments,  the  apostle  interposes,  as  if  to 
say  ;  "  The  pageant  was  indeed  gorgeous  and  as- 
tounding. I  almost  swooned  at  the  glare  of  its 
radiance  ;  and  knew  not  what  to  do  or  where  I  was. 
But  let  none  envy  us  ;  none  especially  who  have  the 
Bible  !  There  "  the  prophetic  word  is  "  made  "  more 
firm,"  more  permanent,  more  complete  for  every 
desirable  purpose.  Jesus  Christ  is  its  all  pervading 
theme  :  and  instead  of  a  voice  so  transient,  so  se- 
cluded, so  dense  and  brief  in  its  comprehensive.im- 
port,  commending  him  to  your  confidence  ;  you  have 
a  volume  of  accomplished  and  accomplishing  truth, 
equally  divine,  equally  from  heaven,  equally  intelli- 
gible.   Peruse  it,  meditate  it,  follow  it  forever." 

The  prophetic  word  as  spoken  on  mount  Tabor, 
and  the  prophetic  word  made  "more  firm"  in  the 
scriptures  ;  these  are  plainly  the  subjects  of  com- 
parison :  as  Friend  Bevan  himself  might  have  seen ; 
or  any  other  ignorant  man  that  could  look  at  the 
context,  and  take  the  scope  or  simply  the  continuity 
of  the  argument.  Does  any  man  doubt  that  the 
Bible  is  meant,  by  the  "  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark 
place !"  The  immediately  following  verses  make 
it  obvious  :  "knowing  this  first,  that  no  prophecy  of 


457 


the  scripture  is  of  any  private  interpretation  ;  [or 
origin,  as  some  prefer ;]  for  the  prophecy  came  not 
in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man ;  but  holy  men  of 
God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 
verses  20,  21.  This  we  ought  to  "know  first" 
or  chief! 

I  have  said  that  the  true  and  plain  sense  of  this 
text  is  ruinous  to  the  pretensions  of  Quakerism. 
For— 

1.  It  shows  the  superiority  of  the  scriptures  as  a 
rule.  The  voice  miraculous  that  he  had  just  pane- 
gyrized to  our  wonder  and  our  faith,  is  less  firm, 
less  permanent,  less  full,  less  satisfactory,  less  every 
way  to  be  desired,  than  the  prophetic  word  of  scrip- 
ture. Will  any  one  now  say  that  his  own  '  inward 
light'  is  superior  1  But  grant  for  a  moment  that  it 
is — how  it  demonstrates  the  ignorance  or  mental 
weakness  of  the  apostle,  who  in  commending  his 
readers  to  a  superior  light  to  that  on  the  mount, 
never  mentioned  the  glorious  rule  of  Friends,  which 
makes  the  scriptures  "  secondary"  by  its  own  nobler 
effulgence  !  He  surely  knew  nothing  of  it. 

2.  It  shows  the  practice  of  primitive  christians  ; 
"  whereunto — ye  take  heed  ;"  in  walking  by  the  rule 
of  scripture.  It  shows  also  the  commendation  of 
God  for  that  cause.  "  Ye  do  well,"  says  the  apostle ; 
encouraging  their  adherence  and  piety.  But  he 
does  more.  He  puts  an  imprimatur  upon  the  excel- 
lence of  the  scripture,  and  its  spiritual  utility  in  the 
scheme  of  salvation,  its  subserviency  in  the  constitu- 
tion of  God  throughout  the  whole  process  of  piety 
in  the  soul,  that  seals  its  value  as  supreme ;  that 

58 


458 

shows  it,  from  the  very  nature  of  its  office  and  its 
use,  the  paramount  rule  in  rehgion  ;  and  that  shows 
as  well  the  nature  of  religion,  vital,  genuine,  sober, 
enlightened,  and  true  religion,  as  distinguished  from 
all  counterfeits ;  for  we  "do  well  taking  heed  to  its 
light"  as  long  as  we  sojourn  in  this  "dark  place 
and  "  till  the  day  dawn  and  the  star  of  morning 
arise  in  our  hearts."  The  morning-star,  "  sure 
pledge  of  day,  that  crowns  the  smiling  morn,"  is 
used  in  scripture  as  the  sparkling  image  of  hope. 
Rev.  2:28.  22:16.  Col.  1  :  27.  1  Tim.  1  :  1.  It 
rises  here  "in  the  heart;"  implying  delighted  and 
purified  affections  in  religion,  as  connected  with 
the  influence  of  hope  in  Jesus  Christ.  1  John,  3  :  3. 
It  is  plain  that  this  experience  is  consequent  upon 
rightly  "  taking  heed "  to  the  light  of  scripture., 
"  The  dawning  of  the  day  "  is  much  cotemporane- 
ous  in  nature  with  the  rise  of  the  star  of  morning  ; 
that  beauteous  phosphor  (<pa)a(popog)  of  the  dappled 
orient,  that  glittering  harbinger  of  splendid  day, 
that  bright  precursor  of  the  sun,  shining  in  his  glory! 
I  care  not  to  analyze  poetically  or  rhetorically  the 
force  and  finish  of  the  figures,  picturesque  and  glow- 
ing and  apposite  as  they  are :  but  v/ould  say  in 
brief,  they  evidently  refer  to  the  whole  of  experi- 
mental i-eligion  ;  they  claim  the  instrumental  cause 
of  scripture  truth  for  all  that  is  genuine  in  our  ex- 
perience ;  they  require  us  to  elevate  and  honor  that 
"  light "  as  paramount ;  and  there  is  no  reasonable 
fear  of  dishonoring  the  agency  and  office-work  of 
"  the  eternal  Spirit,"  by  following  "  what  he  saith 
unto  the  churches,"  respecting  the  end  for  which  he 


459 


furnished  us  with  his  own  thrice  blessed  word  !  It 
appears  evident  that  the  figures,  of  the  "  day  dawn- 
ing" and  "  the  star  of  morning  arising  in  our  hearts," 
are  in  apposition ;  the  latter  being  an  expUcation  of 
the  former,  and  both  referring  to  piety  in  this  world, 
as  viewed  in  connection  with  its  consequent  and  cer- 
tain glorification  in  the  next.  Here  at  best  it  is  but 
the  progress  or  the  perfecting  of  authentic  hope  ;  it  is 
comparative  night  or  the  dawning  only,  of  the  day 
of  everlasting  holiness  and  glory.  "  The  way  of  the 
wicked  is  as  darkness  :  they  know  not  at  what  they 
stumble.  But  the  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining 
light,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day."  Reader,  do  you  hope  on  a  death-bed  to  say, 
I  have  fought  a  good  fight,"  unless  you  can  also  say, 

"  I  HAVE  KEPT  THE  FAITH  T'    If  UOt,  then  '  TAKE  HEED 

to  the  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark  place  ;'  and  beware 
of  false  lights,  inward  lights,  and  blind  guides — 
however  smooth  and  affectionate  they  seem  ! 

Errors  not  soon  corrected  : 
Though  few  learn  not  in  riper  years 
That  man  when  smoothest  he  appears, 

Is  most  to  be  suspected. — Altered  from  Cowper. 

Give  me  a  man  of  wisdom,  of  principle  and  moral 
courage,  of  honesty  and  steadiness. 

3.  It  represents  the  scripture  as  a  most  precious 
treasure,  invaluable  and  solitary ;  and  the  ruin  of 
the  world  without  it:  "a  light  that  shineth." 
It  shines  steadily,  purely,  benignly,  certainly,  su- 
perlatively. And  it  is  one,  not  many ;  a  unit,  not  a 
plurality  ;  its  light  is  all  homogeneous,  unique,  di- 


460 


vine.  Besides,  It  shineth  "  in  a  dark  place ;"  a 
place  of  darkness  and  pollution  :  sv  avx^-zipci  totiw. 
Such  is  our  world.  So  God  views  all  the  inward 
light  of  nien.  Reader,  suppose  you  were  travers- 
ing, for  instance,  the  tunnel  of  the  Thames,  or 
some  hideous  mine  or  cavern  of  the  earth,  or  rather 
the  catacombs  of  Paris  ;  were  marching  whh  one 
lighted  flambeau  only,  along  the  well  described  but 
narrow  path  of  that  awful  subterranean  receptacle 
of  "  dead  men's  bones  "  if  not  of  "  all  uncleanness  ;" 
and  had  advanced  some  one  or  two  miles  of  your 
way  from  the  aperture  of  yom  facilis  descensus,  and 
were  beginning  to  think  of  the  returning  process  ; 
revocare  gradum ;  would  you  not  look  at  the  pre- 
cious light  in  your  hand  with  a  high  and  hearty 
estimate,  "  midst  upper,  nether,  and  surrounding 
darkness  1"  How  dependent  you  would  feel  on  its 
friendly  beams!  Now,  suppose  two  strangers  should 
appear,  or  two  voices  greet  you  in  the  dark  ;  one 
would  assure  you  of  a  superior  light  to  be  seen  by 
just  shutting  your  eyes  and  looking  at  the  interior 
of  yourself ;  the  other  would  commend  you  to 
value  that  in  your  hand,  as  "  a  light  that  shineth  in 
a  dark  place,"  to  "  take  heed  "  to  it,  and  trust  no 
other  medium  of  vision  or  of  conduct,  till  you  ar- 
rived at  open  day,  or  saw  clearly  the  peering  light 
of  the  aperture  above :  would  you  not  require  to  be 
made  very  sure  indeed  of  the  comparative  infe- 
riority of  the  light  in  your  hand,  before  you  would 
either  throw  it  away  or  trust  the  other,  in  such  "  a 
dark  place  f  There  truly  some  visitors  are  said 
to  have  lost  their  way  and  left  their  own  bones  in 


461 


pledge  to  the  ghastly  populace  around  them.  But 
what  of  thatl  To  lose  one's  way  as  a  pilgrim  to 
the  world  of  spirits !  to  be  guided  wrong  in  our 
blindness  by  one  as  blind  !  to  be  deluded  of  the 
path  of  life,  and  to  forfeit  our  hope  and  our  soul  as 
the  price  of  reckless  credulity,  "  believing  a  Ue !" 
This  is  terrible. — Often  is  it — history  too. 

4.  The  preacher  who  took  the  text,  and  whom  Fox 
so  abused,  interrupted,  contradicted,  while  peacea- 
bly officiating  in  his  own  desk  and  to  his  own  peo- 
ple, and  according  to  his  own  and  their  conscience 

of  duty,  WAS  MOST  CERTAINLY  RIGHT  IN  HIS  POSI- 
TION ;  he  was  telling  the  truth,  the  pure  and  proper 
sense  of  his  text  to  his  hearers  ;  and  more  truth 
than  Fox  ever  told  ;  when  that  foolish  and  rash 
zealot  commenced  his  offensive  insolence,  as  "  the 
Lord  said  unto  "  him  !  This  is  evident  from  the 
showing  of  Fox  himself.  Whence,  I  would  de- 
mand, with  feelings  of  tenderness  to  them, 

5.  What  degree  of  silliness  or  sinfulness  does  it 
require  to  accredit  his  inspiration  !  If  here  deluded  ; 
if  here  demonstrated  infallibly  to  have  been  a  mere 
mountebank  of  spiritual  fanaticism  at  large,  and 
furious  in  annoying  others  and  all  others  that  would 
not  follow  him  ;  if  here  his  certain  converse  with 
"  the  Lord  "  turns  out  to  be  an  abominable  decep- 
tion, a  pre-eminently  stupid  falsehood  :  who  knows 
that  on  other  occasions,  where  he  manifested  the 
same  temper,  manners,  principles,  he  was  any  more 
inspired  1  Where  is  the  proof  of  his  inspiration  at 
all  ]  Shall  we  go  to  his  "  miracles  to  find  it  1 
His  "  prophecy  "  certainly  came  "  by  the  will  of 


462 


man."  That  of  "the  Holy  Ghost"  is  of  a  kind 
every  way  different,  superior,  accompanied  with 
complete  rational  evidence. 

The  general  assembly  of  the  presbyterian  church, 
at  their  annual  sessions,  A.  D.  1804,  passed  the 
following  declaration  of  their  sober  views  on  this 
subject :  and  if  it  had  been  legislated  on  purpose, 
it  could  not  more  aptly  condemn  the  principles  of 
Quakerism,  as  exemplified  in  this  and  like  outra- 
ges of  Fox  and  his  similars  of  the  society.  "  We 
strongly  bear  our  testimony  against  those  persons 
who  pretend  to  immediate  impulses  and  revelations 
from  heaven,  those  divine  communications  which 
were  given  only  to  the  prophets  and  apostles,  who 
were  appointed  by  God  to  reveal  to  mankind  the 
way  of  eternal  life.  When  men  presume  that  the 
Holy  Spirit,  contrary  to  the  established  order  of 
Providence,  interferes,  by  particular  impulse,  to 
direct  them  in  all  the  common  affairs  of  life  ;  when 
they  deem  themselves  to  be  impelled  by  him,  to 
particular  acts,  or  particular  religious  exercises, 
contrary  to  the  established  order  of  the  gospel  and 
the  obvious  duties  of  the  moment ;  when  finally, 
they  pretend  lo  miraculous  powers  or  prophetic  in- 
fluences and  the  foretelling  of  future  events :  all 
these  are  evidences  of  a  wild  enthusiastic  spirit, 
and  tend,  eventually,  to  destroy  the  authority  of  the 
word  of  God,  as  the  sole  rule  of  faith  and  practice." 
I  bless  God  that  such  remains  to  be  the  unanimous 
averment  and  testimony  of  that  large  denomination, 
whose  divisions  are  all  on  smaller  and  compara- 
tively inconsiderable  points,  for  the  most  part : — and 


463 


whose  very  dissidence  not  more  evinces  the  imper- 
fection of  christians  and  even  christian  ministers  in 
this  world,  than  it  demonstrates  also,  in  respect  to 
presbyterians,  their  common  freedom  of  thought, 
their  principled  teimc'ity  of  right,  their  high  common 
estimate  of  the  value  of  truth,  and  their  charac- 
teristic purpose,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  "  strive  to- 
gether"— and  may  it  ever  be  "  standing  fast  in  one 
spirit,  with  one  mind ! — for  the  faith  of  the  gospel  : 
and  IN  NOTHING  terrified  by  their  adversaries  ;  which 
[fact  of  opposition  for  the  sake  of  the  truth]  is  to 
them  an  evident  token  of  perdition,  but  to  us  of 
salvation,  and  that  of  God."  I  bless  God,  not  only 
that  I  am  converted,  as  I  trust,  from  Quakerism  to 
Christianity,  but  that  I  belong  to  this  very  denomi- 
nation of  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ !  And  my 
soul's  most  unsectarian  prayer  for  all  my  brethren 
and  fathers  of  the  presbyterian  church,  is — that 
they  may  kindly  and  charitably  appreciate  each 
other ;  that  they  may  know  and  honor  their  high 
obligations  to  their  Great  Head  ;  and  that  divine 
prosperity  may  attend,  preserve,  and  bless  them 
all,  forever.^^ 

There  may  be  some  implication  or  confusion  of 
the  truth,  in  respect  to  what  Fox  avers  in  his  speech 
about  the  Jews,  and  even  the  great  men  of  their 
nation,  rejecting  the  Messiah.  But  the  sentiment 
that  this  resulted  from  their  fondness  for  the  oracles 
of  God,  is  not  merely  gratuitous ;  it  is  impiously 
false.  "  Had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have 
believed  me  :  for  he  wrote  of  me.  But  if  ye  believe 
not  his  writings,  how  shall  ye  believe  my  words  1" 


464 


Again,  Abraham  said  unto  him,  "  If  they  hear  not 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  per- 
suaded though  one  rose  from  the  dead."  They 
were  so  occupied  in  "  teaching  for  doctrines  the 
commandments  of  men"  and  in  propagating  their 
"  own  traditions,"  that  they  neglected  "  the  word 
of  God  "  and  were  (as  they  are  to  this  day)  as  ig- 
norant of  the  real  sense  of  the  Old  as  of  the  New 
Testament. 

But  "  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
he  is  none  of  his."  True  ;  but  what  has  this  to  do 
with  "  a  universal  inward  light  1"  a  light  "  in  every 
man  V  It  refers  to  saints  alone,  whom  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  hath  marked  and  sealed  for  his  own  eter- 
nal kingdom.  It  discriminates  saints  from  "  the 
whole  world "  that  "  lieth  in  wickedness."  It  re- 
spects not  the  influence  miraculous  or  extraordin- 
ary ;  but  that  which  is  through  the  truth,  common  to 
all  saints  in  every  age,  producing  "the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  "  in  the  living  character ;  according  to  Gal. 
5  :  22-26.  and  Eph.  5:9.  It  is  the  Spirit  influ- 
ential, not  the  Spirit  personal ;  it  is  not  conscious 
converse,  but  moral  purity  produced  ;  it  is  not  in- 
spiration, but  holiness ;  not  revealing  new  truth 
fresh  to  the  mind,  but  bringing  one  to  see  and  love 
the  truth  already  "  written  for  our  learning,  that  we 
through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures 
might  have  hope."  This  is  true  of  the  subserviency 
of  the  whole  Bible.  The  Spirit  uses  his  written 
truth  as  the  medium  of  all  his  illumining  and  sanc- 
tifying influence.  "  For  whatsoever  things  were 
written  aforetime,"  have  a  common  relation  to  the 


465 


people  of  God.  John,  17  :  17.  Rom.  15:4.  Now, 
if  in  this  sense,  Fox  had  avered  that  the  rejectors 
of  Christ  had  the  scriptures  insufficiently,  not  hav- 
ing also  his  Spirit ;  and  that  if  men  had  his  Spirit 
they  would  not  reject  him  ;  his  position  were  true  : 
and  after  this  truth  possibly  the  moral  instinct  of 
Friends  may  be  often  blindly  groping,  when  they 
know  "  neither  what  they  say,  nor  whereof  they 
affirm."  This  grace  in  the  heart  is  piety.  It  is 
often  called  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit ;"  often  by  the 
name  of  some  one  of  its  multifarious  branches  ; 
often  by  the  name  of  "  the  Spirit ;"  because  the 
Spirit  of  God  produces  and  sustains  it  all.  This 
grace  is  an  indispensable  in  religion — universally. 
It  is  a  qualification  and  a  sinc-qua-non  of  office  not 
only,  but  of  standing  also  in  tlie  church  invisible. 
The  Jews  that  rejected  Christ  were  destitute  of 
this  qualification.  But  see  how  Fox  confounds 
things  !  With  him  the  qualification  of  a  judge,  is 
a  rule  of  judging  !  As  if  the  competency  of  Hale  as 
chief  justice,  were  the  supreme  law  of  the  realm  ; 
the  statute-book  being  nothing  to  it !  "  They  took 
upon  them  to  try  their  doctrines  by  the  scriptures." 
Were  it  not  then  more  presumptuous  for  them  or 
others  to  "  take  upon  them  "  to  try  Christ  and  his 
apostles  by  a  still  more  holy  and  superior  rule  X 
For  Fox  makes  the  Lmcgiver  every  where  his  su- 
perior ri^Zf;  to  which  the  scripture,  that  was  "  given 
forth  "  from  that,  is  "  a  secondary  rule  !"  Truly,  it 
was  no  part  of  their  sin  or  of  ours  to  pay  too  much 
court  to  the  word  of  God,  the  sword  of  the  Spi- 
rit ;"  the  universal  instrument  of  his  saving  .opera- 

59 


466 


tions.  "  No  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord, 
but  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  1  Cor.  12  :  3.  Certainly — 
and  yet  this  text  is  just  as  much  in  favor  of  Friends 
as  the  others  we  have  considered.  The  fact  is  in- 
contestable— no  man  can  so  say  approvingly,  wise- 
ly, knowing  what  he  says,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  only  question  is — How  does  he  induce  the  re- 
sult %  With  or  without  his  written  word  X  With- 
out it,  says  Fox.  So  he  came  by  his  knowledge, 
he  tells  us  ;  and  we  in  part  credit  him.  With  it 
only,  and  in  no  other  way,  says  the  consistent  chris- 
tian. A  man  who  knows  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit, 

nnderstandeth  it,"  (Matt.  12  :  23,)  loves  it,  trusts 
it  with  his  heart,  and  gives  his  life  cordially  to  its 
influence,  is  the  one  and  the  only  one  who  can 
say  "by  the  Holy  Ghost"  that  "Jesus  is  Lord." 
He  is  a  true  christian.  He  walks  by  "the  word  of 
God,"  the  scriptures,  as  his  highest  rule  in  religion. 
He  owns  the  Lawgiver,  as  greater  than  the  law ; 
but  not  as  a  greater  law  !  not  as  a  law  at  all !  He 
has  "the  Spirit  of  Christ."  He  belongs  to  the  glory 
of  the  species,  the  noble  company  "of  whom  the 
world  was  not  worthy,"  the  ransomed  of  the  Lamb, 
the  saved  "in  Christ  Jesus,"  the  legion  of  honor  de- 
voted forever  to  the  glory  of  the  Kmg  of  kings. 

It  now  occurs  to  consider,  in  relation  to  the  'lu- 
ciferous  aura'  of  Friends, 

8.  The  powerful  decision  of  many  passages 
OF  the  word  of  God  against  it. 

After  treating  this  branch  of  the  subject,  it  would 
remain  to  despatch  two  others ;  namely,  accord- 
ing to  original  announcement, 


467 


9.  The  innu3ierable  contradictions  of  that 
LIGHT  AS  it  shines  from  Friends  ;  and, 

10.  The  paramount  office  of  scripture,  ac- 
cording TO  its  own  claims,  as  our  rule  in  re- 
ligion. 

Willing  to  condense,  rather  than  amplify,  the 
topics  of  discussion,  I  refer  the  ninth  article  mainly 
to  the  pervading  exhibitions  of  this  volume  for  some 
evidence  of  its  truth  :  subjoining,  that  while  the  de- 
tails of  that  evidence  would  be  sometimes  in  mini- 
mis, concerning  things  of  small  moment  if  not  of 
frivolous  import ;  while  I  have  letters  on  file  receiv- 
ed from  their  inspired  preachers,  and  have  heard 
oral  predictions  from  "the  fountain-head"  uttered 
concerning  myself,  which  I  have  been  spared  to  con- 
tradict and  by  the  grace  of  God  have  lived  to  con- 
found :  I  forbear  for  the  present  to  pursue  a  path  of 
illustration  which  is  very  far  from  grateful  to  my  own 
feelings  and  may  be  irritating  to  theirs.  This  pre- 
mised, I  shall  consider  the  eighth  and  tenth  articles 
as  one  in  substance ;  treat  them  together ;  and  en- 
deavor to  vindicate  their  common  truth  and  related 
sentiment,  by  an  array,  apt  though  brief,  of  scrip- 
tural declarations  inconsistent  with  the  arch  heresy 
in  which  all  Friends  are  agreed  ;  and  in  which,  as 
such,  they  must  necessarily  remain  ;  and  which  is 
of  itself  sufficient  to  require  our  non-recognition 
of  their  claims,  whatever  else  they  say,  as  profess- 
ing christians: — the  arch  heresy  that  denies  the 
paramount  relation  of  the  scriptures  as  our  rule  in 
religion. 

"Christianity  and  the  scriptures  are  essentially 


468 


associated.  Without  the  latter,  we  should  not  have 
received  the  former. — In  examining  into  the  degree 
of  authority  to  be  attached  to  the  scriptures,  we  are 
favored  with  a  very  direct  appeal.  We  may  go  to 
the  scriptures  themselves."  In  these  sentiments  of 
an  excellent  cotemporary,^^  I  need  scaixe  record  my 
own  most  hearty  concurrence.  It  is  more  to  the 
point  to  say,  they  suit  our  purpose  admirably  ;  they 
are  just  such  as  the  sacred  volume,  intelligently  and 
devoutly  and  thoroughly  perused,  never  fails  to  in- 
spire.    What  then  is  that  "  degree  1" 

It  is  often  said  loosely  by  excellent  writers,  that 
the  scriptures  are  our  only  rule  in  religion.  This 
is  not  accurate  ;  it  is  incorrect.  We  have  other 
rules;  as  reason,  experience,  observation,  history, 
the  general  facts  of  life,  philosophy,  the  love  of 
happiness,  the  light  of  nature,  the  moral  sense,  the 
maxims  of  wisdom,  the  law  of  the  land,  the  precepts 
of  morality  ;  and  those  innumerable  laws,  collateral 
and  subordinate,  which  flow  from  these  in  endless 
ramifications  and  forms.  But  among  many,  among 
myriads  or  millions,  one  only  can  be  supreme  or 
PARAMOUNT.  I  uso  the  word  PARAMOUNT,  becausc 
it  is  definite  and  apposite  exactly  to  the  grand  idea 
to  be  conveyed — superior  to  all  others.  This 
is  the  sense  in  which  the  word  is  used  ;  attributing 
SUPREMACY  unrivalled  to  the  authority  of  the  in- 
spired scriptures,  in  the  position,  the  Bible  is  to 

BE  regarded  as  OUR  PARAMOUNT  RULE  IN  RELIGION. 

Not  only  do  I  view  the  position  as  sound  and  de- 
monstrable ;  but  as  fujvdamentally  important. 
The  only  hope  I  can  have  for  the  salvation  of  a 


469 


Friend — I  speak  my  own  conviction  as  it  is — re- 
poses in  this  one  qualifier;  for  ought  I  know  he 
may  be  better  in  his  feehngs  than  his  philosophy 
or  the  ordinary  symbols  of  his  creed.    This  I  often 
fondly  hope.    Hence  I  think  deliberately,  and  by 
moral  necessity,  that  if  his  feelings  ultimately  put 
any  other  rule  above  "  the  word  of  God,"  and  if  he 
is  as  bad  in  his  real  principles  as  in  his  doctrinal 
statements,  he  is  also  "in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and 
the  bond  of  iniquity ;  his  heart  not  right  in  the  sight 
of  G  d,  and  himself  with  no  lot  or  part — as  yet — 
in  the  matter"  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ.  Be- 
sides, if  "the  oracles  of  God"  are  not  paramount, 
then  some  other  rule  is  "above  them  ;"  and  what  is 
that  1    "  The  scriptures  cannot  be  the  rule  of  faith, 
because  they  cannot  give  faith  ;  for  faith  is  the  gift 
of  God,  which  overcomes  the  world."    The  rule  of 
faith  then  is — God  himself,  because  He  can  give 
faith  !^    Hence  the  Bible  can  be  the  rule  "  nei- 
ther of  practice,  because  it  cannot  distinguish  of 
itself,  in  all  cases,  what  ought  to  be  practised,  and 
what  not,  since  it  contains  as  well  what  ouffht  not 
to  be  practised,  as  what  ought."    The  Bible  then 
"  cannot  be  the  rule  of  faith  or  practice  !"    This  is 
'orthodox'  Quakerism:  for,  so  says  that  inspired 
mystic,  William  Penn  ! !    Again  ;  "George  White- 
head says.  That  which  was  spoken  from  the  Spirit 
of  truth  in  any,  is  of  as  great  authority  as  the  scrip- 
tures or  chapters  are,  and  greater,  as  proceeding 
immediately  from  that  Spirit;  as  Christ's  words 
were  of  greater  authority  when  he  spoke,  than  the 
Pharisees  reading  the  letter."    Penn  here  quotes 


470 


approvingly  what  Whitehead  says.  Hence  Qua- 
ker inspiration  "in  any,"  is  of  greater  authority 
than  the  Bible  ;  especially  as  it  is  fresher  ! ! !  Hub- 
berthorn,  another  piece  of  inspired  heresy,  says, 
"  The  Spirit  of  God  is  the  saint's  rule,  and  that  is 
greater  than  the  scriptures  ;  and  the  rule  of  the  Spi- 
rit of  God  is  above  the  scriptures.''  An  opponent 
had  objected  to  him  that,  "  The  scripture  was  given 
by  the  Spirit  for  a  rule :"  to  which  Hubberthorn  re- 
plies ;  "  This  we  desire  a  proof  of,  by  plain  scrip- 
ture, and  till  then  we  deny  it."  Humphrey  Smith 
says,  "  God  changeth  not ;  and  where  doth  the  scrip- 
ture say,  that  the  scripture  is  to  be  a  rule  to  walk 
or  be  led  by]"  Edward  Burroughs  says;  "that 
we  own  to  be  the  rule  of  our  conversation,  which 
they  [Abel,  Moses,  and  others]  walked  by,  the  im- 
mediate Spirit  of  God  which  was  before  the  scrip- 
ture was  written.  And  all  you  who  profess  the 
scripture  to  be  your  rule,  your  own  rule  shall  testify 
against  you  when  the  eternal  judge  judges  you; 
and  they  who  witness  that  to  be  their  rule  which  gave 
forth  the  scripture,  walk  up  in  the  life  of  the  scripture 
more  than  you  all ;  and  you  are  proved  to  be  but 
the  JeiD  outward,  who  boasts  of  the  ordinances 
from  the  letter,  but  persecutes  them  by  slanders 
and  false  reproaches,  who  witness  the  substance." 
Another  says,  "  This  I  witness  to  all  the  sons  of 
men,  that  the  knowledge  of  eternal  life  I  came  not 
to  by  the  letter  of  the  scripture,  nor  hearing  men 
speak  of  the  name  of  God."  Dewsbury.  I  quote 
once  more,  from  Fox;  "the  scriptures — will  not 
give  the  knowledge  of  Christ.    That  which  comes 


471 


from  him  and  shines  in  the  heart,  doth  give  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  the  light ;  the  Jews  had  the 
scriptures,  but  had  not  the  knowledge  of  Christ. 
Nothing  gives  nor  makes  manifest  the  knowledge 
of  the  Savior,  but  the  light  which  doth  enlighten 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world.  And  none 
can  know  Christ  by  the  scriptures  ;  they  testify  of 
him  ;  but  none  can  know  Christ  but  by  revelation  ;'' 
that  is,  immediate  revelation  in  one's  own  soul ! 
What  could  be  more  subversive  of  Christianity  1 

When  I  read  such  mysticising  sophistry  and  pre- 
varicating infidelity,  as  the  specimens  above,  I  feel 
as  if  Quakerism  was  entitled  to  the  horror  of  the 
whole  community  ;  to  the  public  execration  of  man- 
kind !  The  scriptures  "  a  secondary  rule  " — and 
then  no  rule  at  all,  neither  of  faith,  nor  of  practice, 
according  to  Penn — and  then  incapable  of  impart- 
ing the  knowledge  of  Christ — and  then  adverse  to 
(not  homogeneous  with)  their  higher  rule — and 
opposed  in  influence  to  the  light  within — and  re- 
duced to  nothing  by  immediate  revelation — and  this 
made  indispensable  universally  to  faith  and  salva- 
tion— and  the  Spirit  of  God  himself  a  rule  of  ac- 
tion and  "the  saints'  rule" — and  the  fresh  inspira- 
tions of  these  "deceitful  workers"  declared  by 
Whitehead  and  Penn  to  be  GREATER  m  autho- 
rity than  the  scriptures  themselves — and  the  know- 
ledge of  eternal  life  "  witnessed  "  to  be  acquired 
independently  both  of  scriptural  revelation  and  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel!  and  those  are  the  pro- 
phets of  the  devil  who  claim  our  charity  and  scorn 
our  communion,  and  who  vaunt  themselves  ckris- 


472 


iians  of  utmost  purity  and  genuineness,  as  Avell  as 
preachers  of  soundness  infallible  and  of  furniture 
inspired  !  Here  a  christian  may  well  stand  for  his 
life.  I  cannot  conceive  what  heresy  is  cardinal  and 
infinitely  pestiferous,  if  Quakerism  is  not  such  !  and 
only  wonder  that  Christendom  has  cared  so  little 
for  it !  or  endured  so  courteously  a  satanic  delusion 
of  the  sort  for  scores  of  years  !  The  more  I  exa- 
mine it,  the  worse  it  shows.  It  is  a  system  of  sinu- 
ous sophistry  ;  a  philter  of  deception,  a  chalice  of 
sweetened  poison.  I  should  be  unwilling  to  die 
till  I  had  stood  up  as  a  witness  against  it,  and  writ- 
ten 3IY  SOLE3IX  PROTEST  AND  WARMXG  for  the  pre- 
servation of  others  from  its  murderous  snares  !  If 
there  happens  to  be  a  state  eternal,  a  thorough  and 
consistent  mere  Quaker  may  well  wish  that  he  had 
never  been  born!  In  that  world  "Moses  and  the 
prophets"  are  more  respected.  There  his  arguing 
can  no  longer  deceive  others  or  himself.  His  pro- 
fane sophistry  will  be  eternally  overruled  ;  and  his 
refined  sorcery  reduced  to  common-sense  convic- 
tion. He  may  there  too  late  discover — if  he  fails 
to  do  it  here — that  Jesus  Christ  meant  something, 
by  "  hell-fire,  where  their  worm  dieth  not  and  their 
fire  is  not  quenched  !"  Mark,  9  :  43-50. 

It  will  aid  our  conviction  of  the  just  snpremacy  of 
the  scriptures  as  our  rule  in  religion,  if  we  can  as- 
certain, simply  as  an  auxiliary  fact,  the  estimate  of 
the  Jewish  nation  respecting  them  at  the  time  of  the 
appearing  of  Christ.  "How  firmly  we  have  given 
credit,"  says  Josephns,  "to  these  books  of  our  own 
nation,  is  evident  from  what  we  do;  for  during  so 


473 


many  ages  as  have  already  passed,  no  one  hath 
been  so  bold  as  either  to  add  any  thing  to  them,  to 
take  any  thing  from  them,  or  to  make  any  change 
in  them  ;  but  it  is  become  natural  to  all  Jews,  im- 
mediately and  from  their  very  birth,  to  esteem  those 
books  to  contain  divine  doctrines,  and  to  persist  in 
them,  and  if  occasion  be,  willingly  to  die  for  them." 
Thus,  Josephus,  Philo,  and  others,  speak  of  them, 
with  ultimate  reverence  ;  as  "  the  scripture,"  or 
"  holy  scriptures,"  and  "  the  divine  scriptures."  Thus 
Paul  speaks  of  them  to  Timothy,  who  was  educated 
by  his  pious  mother  in  "  the  holy  scriptures  "  of  the 
Old  Testament ;  for  then  the  books  of  the  new  were 
not  written.  Other  proof  to  the  same  effect  is  at 
once  abundant  and  not  necessary.  These  senti- 
ments were  common  to  the  nation.  It  was  the  uni- 
versal public  sentiment  of  the  country.  They  knew 
of  no  superior  rule  to  the  word  of  God ;  nor  had 
such  a  refinement  of  error  then  appeared. 

Let  it  here  be  observed  that  this  ecumenical  per- 
suasion of  his  countrymen,  Jesus  Christ  did  no- 
thing to  reprove  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  every  thing 
to  enlighten,  confirm,  and  establish.  If  this  is  so, 
the  conclusion  is  inevitable.  Let  us  examine  the 
premises.  In  his  sermon  on  the  m4)unt  in  the  very 
outset  and  opening  of  his  public  ministry,  Matt. 
5:  17,  18,  he  thus  addresses  a  Jewish  auditory; 
"  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law,  or 
the  prophets  :  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  ful- 
fil." I  ask — does  this  import  "  the  secondary  rule  ;" 
or  indicate  any  rule  paramount  to  the  scriptures, 
for  us  to  honor  in  religion  1  He  immediately  adds 

60 


474 


"  For  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Till  heaven  and  earth 
pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass  from 
the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled."    Hence,  the  whole  of 
the  Old  Testament,  which  comprehended  all  that 
was  then  written,  is  confirmed  as  a  document  of 
truth  eternal,  which  is  to  be  punctiliously  accom- 
plished ;  and  this  necessarily,  as  being  more  firm 
than  the  physical  fixtures  of  "  heaven  and  earth." 
This  too  the  Savior  teaches  explicitly  in  the  very 
commencement  of  his  ministry,  and  to  an  immense 
congregation,  "  multitudes "  from  all  parts  of  the 
land  ;  "from  Galilee,  and  from  Decapolis,  and  from 
Jerusalem,  and  from  Judea,  and  from  beyond  Jor- 
dan."   But  why  did  he  not  reprove  them  for  over- 
valuing "the  oracles  of  God  T'  a  sin  of  which  no 
evidence  convicts  them.    For  though  their  rulers 
and  scholars  sinned  plentifully  against  "  the  oracles 
of  God,"  yet  it  was  in  other  ways  than  in  the  sen- 
timent of  their  paramount  authority  or  the  sacri- 
lege of  textual  mutilation.    They  practically  neg- 
lected and  transgressed  them  ;  they  vacated  their 
meaning  by  glosses,  superficial  and  erroneous  ;  and 
they  superseded  them  by  their  manifold  "  tradi- 
tions," which  in  effect  were  criminally  promoted  to 
the  priority  or  the  primacy  of  all.    But  they  were 
a  paragon  and  an  example  to  mankind,  in  preserv- 
ing pure  the  integrity  of  the  text  and  in  sentimental- 
ly regarding  their  inspired  books  as  the  highest  rule 
in  religion.    Christ  himself  adverts,  not  reprehen- 
sively,  to  their  almost  doating  scrupulosity,  in  num- 
bering the  letters  and  the  points,  as  well  as  the  lines 
and  larger  divisions  of  the  scriptures  ;  in  what  he 


475 


says  about  "one  jot  or  one  tittle"  not  passing 
"  from  the  law  till  all  be  fulfilled."    He  alludes  evi- 
dently to  the  Yod,  the  smallest  letter  of  their  alpha- 
bet ;  and  to  any  smaller  mark  or  apparently  incon- 
siderable point,  originally  connected  with  the  sense 
of  inspiration  :  and  he  alludes  as  well  and  approv- 
ingly to  the  accurate  pains-taking  of  their  learned 
men,  in  the  preservation  of  every  particle  of  the 
authentic  scriptures.    But  he  goes  farther.    In  the 
very  next  verse  he  makes  a  practical  application  of 
the  doctrine.    "  Whosoever  therefore  shall  break 
one  of  these  least  commandments,  and  shall  teach 
men  so,  he  shall  be  called  the  least  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  :  but  whosoever  shall  do,  and  teach  them, 
the  same  shall  be  called  great  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."    He  here  speaks  mainly  of  evangelical 
teachers,  his  own  true  ministers  ;  and  declares  of 
them  that  each  shall  be  graduated  in  his  kingdom 
according  to  the  respect  he  pays  to  the  sacred  writ- 
ings, even  the    most  inconsiderable  portions  or 
enactments  of  their  code  :  he  shall  be  exalted  as 
"great"  or  degraded  as  "least,"  according  to  the 
respect  he  shows  them,  even  the  comparatively  mi- 
nor parts.  What  then  are  we  to  think  of  those  who 
put  them  down  em  masse,  exalting  a  certain  interior 
light,  said  to  be  universal,  "  above  "  them  X  and  at 
the  same  time  professing  to  be  incomparably  the 
best  friends  of  the  scriptures  in  the  world  !  I  would 
say  of  them ;  so  did  not  Christ.    He  plainly  had 
no  such  view  as  theirs  cardinally  is.  His  views  are 
totally  incompatible  with  it.    The  air  and  the  savor 
and  the  scope  of  his  doctrine  is  far  different  from 


476 


theirs.  When  they  pretend  that  Christ  came  to  in- 
troduce a  dispensation  more  spiritual  than  the  scrip- 
tures, and  far  enough  above  them,  according  to  their 
own  most  erring  notions  of  the  Spirit,  they  show 
him  as  coming  to  dissolve,  annul,  "destroy,  the  law 
and  the  prophets  ;"  so  that  not  "a  jot  or  a  tittle" 
remains  what  it  was,  in  majesty  pre-eminent,  as  the 
immovable  legislation  of  Jehovah.  I  add  ;  he  here 
inculcates  the  grand  idea,  sublime  in  its  simplicity, 
of  the  unity  of  revelation — the  unity  of  the  scrip- 
tures— "  the  unity  of  the  Spirit."  Though  the  por- 
tions are  different,  and  the  parts  multifarious,  they  all 
constitute  collectively  one  revealed  system ;  the 
code  of  inspiration;  the  written  infallibility  of  hea- 
ven. Hence,  they  were  then  complete  as  consti- 
tuting the  Old  Testament :  but  consummate  as  a 
whole,  only  in  that  connection  with  the  New,  which 
makes  both  to  be  one  volume  of  perfect  and 

PARAMOUNT    LAW    IN    THE    MATTERS  OF  RELIGION. 

This  evinces  the  cumulative  majesty  of  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  when  applied  to  the  whole  volume, 
the  Greek  and  Hebrew  scriptures  combined !  Jesus 
Christ  familiarly  called  the  scriptures,  as  such,  "  the 
word  of  God  ;"  and  one  of  his  apophthegms  it  was 
that  "  the  scripture  cannot  be  broken."  But  a 
higher  rule  he  no  where  inculcates  or  implies  or 
recognises  ;  neither  did  his  Jewish  countrymen, 
whose  sentiments  on  that  point  it  was  the  spirit  of 
his  total  ministry  to  sanction  and  diffuse. 

In  this  sermon  he  elsewhere  utters  a  monition, 
which  ought  to  be  commended  to  the  serious  intelli- 
gence of  Friends  :  "  If  therefore  the  light  that  is 


477 


m  THEE  be  darkness,  how  great  will  the  darkness 
be  !"^^  chap.  6 :  23.  The  context  shows  that  this  is 
moral  darkness  only,  resulting  from  pride,  preju- 
dice, and  the  obliquity  of  the  feelings  in  religion. 
Wrong  motives  often  obtain  the  ascendency  of  right 
ones,  and  doubly  darken  the  mind.  The  worst  per- 
version that  error  accomplishes  is  when  it  procures 
darkness  to  be  mistaken  for  light,  and  so  to  be  re- 
ligiously maintained  to  the  very  last.  This  is,  I 
verily  believe,  the  precise  condition  to  which  the 
whole  system  of  Friends  most  efficaciously  tends  to 
reduce  its  votaries.  "  There  is  a  way  that  seemeth 
RIGHT  unto  a  man,"  according  to  his  own  inward  illu- 
mination at  the  time ;  if  it  seemed  wrong  to  him, 
wrong  as  it  absolutely  is,  he  would  not  follow  it ; 
"  but  the  end  thereof" — and  every  way  has  an  end, 
though  all  travelers  do  not  think  of  it;  and  thought- 
lessness or  presumption  is  no  proof  of  safety:  "  the 
end  thereof  are  the  ways  of  death."  This  is  death 
eternal — "  the  end  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel 
of  God  !"  Friends  often  assume  that  the  way  is 
right,  because  it  "seemeth"  to  be  ;  and  hence  they 
trust  their  own  wisdom,  and  "the  light  that  is  in" 
them  leads  them  speciously  to  ruin.  It  is  right,  ac- 
cording to  their  paramount  rule  !  and  it  is  the  way 
of  "  death  "  in  the  end,  according  to  the  law  of  God ! 
Here  is  contrariety. 

Let  us  recur  to  one  of  "the  prophets,"  all  whose 
words  must  be  "fulfilled,"  according  to  the  preacher 
on  the  mount.  Isai.  8  :  19-22.  The  twentieth  verse 
is  itself,  notwithstanding  the  impertinent  salvos  and 
palliatives  of  Barclay,  a  record  of  ruin  to  the  light 


478 


of  Quakerism  :  "  To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony  ; 
if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  be- 
cause there  is  no  light  in  them.".-£o  The  law  means 
plainly,  not  the  mystic  law  of  Friends  that  is 
"within"  us;  but  in  general  the  written  scriptures, 
the  "  word  "  and  "  the  testimony  "  of  "  the  oracles  of 
God."  Thus  says  Christ  to  the  lawyer;  "  What  is 
written  in  the  lawl  how  readest  thou  V  Luke,  10  : 
26.  See  also  Hosea,  8  :  11, 12.  The  law  more  gen- 
erally indeed  referred  in  strictness  to  the  pentateuch 
alone  ;  when  joined  with  "  the  testimony  "  however, 
the  whole  scripture  is  plainly  meant.  Now,  mark  the 
appeal,  to  which  the  Holy  Ghost  directs  the  faithful 
of  the  nation  ;  that  they  should  promptly  and  per- 
petually make  it !  From  what  is  it  to  be  made  1  I 
answer,  from  mysticising  pretenders  who  had  found 
out  "a  more  noble  and  excellent  rule  " — very  much 
like  if  not  identical  with  that  of  Friends.  "And 
when  they  shall  say  unto  you,  '  Seek  unto  them  that 
have  familiar  spirits,  and  unto  wizards  that  peep 
and  that  mutter :'  should  not  a  people  seek  unto 
their  God  \  for  the  living  to  the  dead  \  To  the 
LAW  AND  TO  THE  TESTIMONY."  The  appeal  then  is 
from  these  sorcerers  ;  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  de- 
nominates "wizards,"  &c.  not  as  though  they  owned 
or  anticipated  the  title.  When  they  thus  practise,  the 
appeal  is  to  be  instantly  made :  and  to  make  it,  ob- 
serve, is  described  as  "seeking  to  God!"  and  this 
in  contradistinction  to  the  course  of  listening  to 
these  spiritual  mummers  and  impostors !  Should  a 
people  resort  to  such  upstarts  ]  nay,  on  the  contrary, 
"  should  not  a  people  seek  unto  their  Godl"  well ! 


479 


granting  that  they  should  ;  how  is  this  to  be  done  1 
Answer,  by  resorting  "  to  the  law  and  to  the  testi- 
mony !"  by  carrying  the  immediate  and  the  ultimate 
appeal  to  the  written  law  of  the  kingdom  !  Besides  ; 
how  contrary  this  to  the  common  gloss  of  Friends, 
that  calls  the  scripture  "  a  dead  letter,"  and  their 
own  light,  a  living  oracle  !  The  question  was,  shall 
we  seek  to  these  spiritual  sages  I  The  Spirit  of  God 
answers  in  effect ;  no !  you  shall  seek  to  God  ;  as 
he  speaks  to  you  in  the  scriptures.  Would  not  aity 
nation  seek  to  their  own  God  1  And  should  you  go 
"  for  the  living  to  the  dead  ;"  from  the  lively  oracles 
to  the  stupid  gastromancy  (see  Septuagint)  or  in- 
ward light,  of  men  "  dead  "  to  wisdom  and  deceit- 
fully counteracting  God  ]  Bring  them  and  their 
muttered  mysticisms  to  the  divine  criterion,  and  it 
will  ruin  them. 

"Yes !  but  if  they  had  only  attended  to  the  clear 
*  inshining'  of  the  light  in  their  own  hearts" — !  To 
be  sure :  but  Isaiah  was  not  informed  on  that  sub- 
ject. He  had  not  been  "renewed  up"  to  the  sub- 
limities of  George  Fox  in  his  day !  True:  And,  what 
is  worse,  Dr.  Scott  seems  to  be  very  little  before  him, 
if  not  precisely  in  the  same  leading-strings  of  the 
spiritual  nursery  ;  for  he  says,  "  Philosophical  illu- 
minators and  enthusiastical  pretenders  to  new  reve- 
lations, which  are  not  to  be  judged  by  '  the  law  and 
the  testimony,'  are  alike  concerned  in  this  decision." 
To  be  plain  ;  this  is  just  what  I  solemnly  think  that 
every  mere  Quaker  will  "believe  and  tremble," 
when  he  stands  at  "the  judgment-seat  of  Christ;" 
if  his  light  be  not  sooner  renounced  !    "  They  shall 


480 


fret  themselves,  and  curse  their  king  and  their  God, 
and  look  upward.  And  they  shall  look  unto  the 
earth  ;  and  behold  trouble  and  darkness,  dimness 
of  anguish  ;  and  they  shall  be  driven  to  darkness." 
vs.  21,  22. 

"He  that  despised  Moses,  law,  died  without  mer- 
cy under  two  or  three  witnesses :  of  how  much 
sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thought 
worthy,"  who  disobeys  the  completed  canon  of  in- 
spiration!  see  Luke,  16 : 29-31,  where  Christ  de- 
clares that  he  who  has  the  former,  or  the  Old  Tes- 
tament alone,  and  refuses  to  "hear  them,"  would 
not  "be  persuaded,  though  one  rose  from  the  dead  !" 
Alas!  it  was  not  "inward  light"  that  ultimately 
convinced  the  wretch,  who  said,  "I  am  tormented 
in  this  flame !"  and  who  is  pictured  before  us,  by 
the  great  master  of  moral  painting,  as  a  neglecter 
merely  of  "Moses  and  the  prophets,"  before  he  was 
conveyed  to  the  eternal  world,  where  he  "lifted  up 
his  eyes,  being  in  torments !" 

Man  is  an  accountable  being,  prior  to  the  exten- 
sion or  the  relations  of  grace  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Grace  is  given  to  save  a  sinner ;  not  to  make  a 
man  accountable !  he  was  accountable  before  ;  in 
the  very  structure  of  his  being;  in  the  very  organi- 
zation of  his  mind  ;  in  the  faculties  and  endow- 
ments of  his  mental  constitution.  Accountable  he 
is  to  all  eternity  :  he  remains  such  forever  in  hell  or 
forever  in  heaven  !  and  forever  on  principles  of  abso- 
lute law.  Now,  the  oppugnation  of  the  whole  rebel 
species,  against  this  absolute  accountability,  is  the 
soul  of  all  the  heresy  in  the  world  !    Friends  re- 


481 


gard  grace  as  necessary  to  accountableness ;  and 
hence  they  take  special  pains  to  provide  "every 
man"  with  a  precious  little  inserted  viaticum  or 
modicum  of  gracious  influence;  "by  attending  to 
the  inward  teachings  of  which  light"  he  comes  to 
"see  clearly"  all  the  mysteries  in  the  universe  ! 
Hence,  whenever  they  search  the  scriptures,  it  is, 
as  Fox  confesses,  having  made  these  discoveries  an- 
tecedently, and  without  knowing  that  they  were  to 
be  found  in  them  !    Is  it  any  wonder  then  that  their 
light  should  enable  them  to  see  marvellous  things 
in  the  Bible,  which  its  author  never  meant  to  put 
there  ?  things  that  really  unprejudiced  learners  could 
never  find  \  and  that  profound  scholars  in  "  the  law 
of  their  God"  know  it  no  where  contains]    In  the 
first  chapter  of  Romans  the  apostle  assigns,  as  the 
reason  for  his  strong  desire  "to  preach  the  gospel" 
in  that  imperial  city,  the  fact  that  in  it  alone  is  re- 
vealed the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  :  aver- 
ring that  the  light  of  nature  indeed  was  luminous, 
in  respect  to  the  being  and  perfections  of  the  "God- 
head ;"  the  accountability  and  depravity  of  man; 
and  the  justice  of  God,  as  his  moral  governor  and 
righteous  condemner  for  sin.    In  the  second  chap- 
ter he  proceeds  to  show,  at  large,  the  absolute  ac- 
countability of  all  men,  jews  and  gentiles,  as  they 
shall  be  seen  "in  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the 
secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  my 
gospel."    verse  16.    This  he  does  by  showing  that 
each  man  believes  it  in  reference  to  every  other  one ; 
witness  his  censures,  his  criticisms,  his  criminations : 
and  these  common,  mutual,  universal !    He  says  al- 

61 


482 


SO  that  these  demonstrate  (what  philosopheris  call 
the  law  of  nature )  the  accountable  constitution  and 
moral  organization  of  every  individual  of  the  spe- 
cies, whether  heathen,  christian,  or  jew.  He  says 
that  hence  those  without  law  "  are  a  law  unto  them- 
selves ;  who  show  the  work  of  the  law  written  in 
their  hearts,  their  conscience  also  bearing  witness, 
and  their  thoughts  the  meanwhile  accusing,  or  else 
excusing  one  another,"  But  Friends  "  see  clearly" 
that  this  means  the  workings  of  "the  good  princi- 
ple" in  them;  namely,  their  own  interior  taper 
burning  all  beauteously,  and  darting  its  radiations 
"through  all!"  I  only  remark,  by  the  way,  that 
their  light  is  evidently  cursed  with  the  spirit  of  per- 
version and  error  ;  "conclusion  retrograde  and  mad 
mistake !"  In  the  second  of  first  Corinthians  the 
apostle  is  showing  mainly  the  necessity  every 
WAY  OF  A  revelation  FROM  GoD,  such  as  the  apos- 
tles and  prophets  were  empowered  to  produce  :  but 
Friends  stupify  the  sense  of  the  whole  argument 
with  the  mysticism  of  their  light!  In  the  third  of 
Romans,  having  shown  the  accountability  and  crimi- 
nality of  all  men,  he  inquires;  "What  advantage 
then  hath  the  jew  \  or  what  profit  is  there  of  cir- 
cumcision \  much  every  way :  chiefly,  because 

THAT  unto  them  WERE  COMMITTED  THE  ORACLES  OF 

God."  Here,  I  ask,  if  the  inward  light  be  a  para- 
mount rule,  where  after  all  is  the  demonstrated  ad- 
vantage, as  "much  every  wayl"  He  proceeds; 
**For  what  if  some  did  not  believe  1"  believe  what  I 
"the  effectual  operation  of  the  light  that  is  in  eve- 
ry man  T'  no  !  but  "  the  oracles  of  God."    Well ; 


483 


'•'shall  their  unbelief  make  the  faith  (faithfulness) 
of  God  without  effect  I  God  forbid  !  yea,  let  God 
be  true,  but  every  man  a  liar  ;  as  it  is  written,  That 
thou  mightest  be  justified  in  thy  sayings,  and  might- 
est  overcome  when  thou  art  judged  ;"  or,  when  thou 
judgest.  Here  we  see  that  men  are  accountable 
absolutely  ;  that  they  perish  when  they  have  the 
signal  "advantage"  of  the  scriptures,  because  they 
do  not  "believe"  them;  that  the  veracity  of  God 
does  not  depend  for  its  honor  on  their  piety  that 
credits  it ;  that  unbelief  is  really  a  sin  and  a  damn- 
ing one;  and  that  the  "advantage"  of  the  means 
of  grace  is  intrinsical  and  absolute,  even  when  it  is 
not  improved,  or  when,  through  perversion  of  un- 
belief, it  becomes  an  occasion  of  augmented  guilt 
and  ruin,  "a  savor  of  death  unto  death !"  If 
Friends  hate  this,  it  only  identifies  them  with  that 
very  class  to  whom  said  Jesus  Christ ;  "  And  ye 
will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life!"  Ye 
have  "  both  seen,  and  hated,  both  me  and  my 
Father."  Let  them  beware  of  "  the  way  of  Cain" — 
and  of  Paine ! 

"  Making  the  word  of  God  of  none  effect 
through  your  tradition,  which  ye  have  delivered  ; 
and  many  such  like  things  do  ye."  Mark,  7  :  13. 
Jesus  Christ  here  calls  the  scripture  "  the  word  of 
God  ;"  which  Friends  are  too  pious  and  too  wise 
to  do,  "through  their  tradition,  which  they  have 
delivered  ;  and  many  such  like  things  do  they  !" 
Besides,  to  "  make  it  of  none  effect "  in  any  way,  is 
here  branded  as  distinguished  crime !  The  jews 
did  it  by  false  interpretation :  Friends  do  it  more 


484 


effectually  and  by  a  wholesale  process,  by  defaming 
its  superlative  dignity,  denuding  it  of  its  proper 
title,  and  recommending  men  to  "sit  still"  and 
listen  to  the  informations  of  "  a  more  noble  and 
excellent  rule "  within  them !  Again,  I  say  an 
anathema,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  upon  their 
arch  and  horrible  heresy !  I  can  scarcely  conceive 
a  more  foolish  or  a  worse  one. 

"  But  CONTINUE  Tiiou  in  the  things  which  thou 

HAST  LEARNED  AND  HAST  BEEN  ASSURED  OF,  know- 
ing OF  WHOM  [of  GOD]  thou  hast  learned  them ; 
and  that  from  a  child  thou  hast  known  the  holy 
scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make  thee  wise  un- 
to SALVATION  through  FAITH  WHICH  IS  IN  ChRIST 

Jesus."  2  Tim.  3  :  14,  15-17.  I  should  want  the 
competency  of  the  inward  light  divinely  endorsed, 
in  language  better  than  this,  before  I  would 
desert  "  the  holy  scriptures "  for  its  profane  and 
wildering  elucidations !  I  should  wish  to  see  it 
written,  by  inspiration  as  certain,  in  language  tan- 
tamount to  this  :  "  but  still  there  is  '  a  more  noble 
and  excellent  rule,'  greatly  superior  to  the  holy 
scriptures,  '  a  light  in  every  man,'  that  is  *  above 
them'  and  far  more  useful  and  certain  in  the  direc- 
tion of  souls  to  salvation  and  to  God."  Instead  of 
any  such  diabolical  folly  and  falsehood,  either  here 
or  elsewhere  to  be  found  in  "  the  holy  scriptures," 
they  are  elevated  above  all  proper  competition  and 
equality  ;  they  are  declared  to  be  "  able  to  make 
us  wise,"  and  that  the  best  kind  of  wisdom  and  the 
best  degree  of  it  too  ;  "  WISE  UNTO  SALVA- 
TION ;"  and  this,  in  the  simple  and  rational  way 


485 


of  beliemng  them  heartily  ;  "  through  faith  ;"  and 
this  faith  is  said  to  be  "  in  Christ  Jesus,"  for  he  is 
the  pervading  theme  of  them  all !  Besides,  Timo- 
thy is  congratulated  on  this  "  chief  advantage  "  of  a 
jew,  the  possession  of  "  the  oracles  of  God  ;"  and 
that  he  had  known  them  "from  a  child." 

It  is  not  the  style  of  inspiration  to  conform  to  our 
technicalities  of  thought.  It  exhibits  great  truths, 
facts,  realities  ;  and  leaves  every  man,  accountably 
and  at  the  peril  of  his  soul,  to  make  his  own  infe- 
rences :  yet  so,  that  a  spirit  really  unprejudiced 
and  ductile  to  the  divine  instructions,  will  be  led, 
substantially,  progressively,  infallibly,  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth.  "  Good  and  upright  is  the  Lord  : 
therefore  will  he  teach  sinners  in  the  way.  The 

MEEK  WILL  HE  GUIDE  IN  JUDGMENT  :  AND  THE 
MEEK  WILL  HE  TEACH  HIS  WAY.     All  the  paths  of 

the  Lord  are  mercy  and  truth,  unto  such  as  keep 
his  covenant  and  his  testimonies.  For  thy  name's 
sake,  O  Lord,  pardon  mine  iniqiiity  ;  for  it  is  great. 
What  man  is  he  that  feareth  the  Lord  1  him  shall 
he  teach  in  the  way  that  he  shall  choose.  His  soul 
shall  dwell  at  ease  ;  and  his  seed  shall  inherit  the 
earth  ;"  or  the  land,  i.  e.  the  land  of  promise  ;  typi- 
cally, heaven.  "  The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with 
them  that  fear  him ;  and  he  will  show  them  his 
covenant."  Ps.  25  :  8-14.  I  now  ask  if  the  pas- 
sage in  Timothy  is  not  perfectly  decisive  ?  I  think 
it  is.  What  want  we  more  1  What  other  rule, 
what  "more  noble  and  excellent"  one  do  we  need, 
who  have  one  divinely  commended  to  us,  as  "  the 
HOLY  SCRIPTURES  THAT  ARE  ABLE  TO  MAKE 


48G 


US  WISE  UNTO  SALVATION,  THROUGH 
FAITH  THAT  IS  IN  CHRIST  JESUS  !"  It 
is  impossible  to  conceive  of  a  rule  superior,  either 
in  its  competency  or  its  evidence  !    And  how  do 
Friends  contrive  a  superior  one  1    I  answer,  by 
profanely  substituting  the  legislator  for  the  law ; 
making  the  Spirit  of  God  a  rule  of  action  ;  and  so 
honoring  the  greater,  as  to  supersede  the  less — to 
detrude  it  from  its  proper  dignity  as  if  it  was  not 
"  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  !"  I  also  wish  to  ask  the  rea- 
der, especially  if  he  happens  to  belong  to  the  rare 
company  that  value  their  souls,  the  following  ques- 
tions :  (1)  Are  you  sure  that  as  much  can  be  said 
of  the  interior  light  of  Friends  1  is  it  "  able  to  make 
us  wise  to  salvation" — 'by  faith  in  its  effectual  opera- 
tion V    (2)  By  what  evidence  can  you  be  rationally 
convinced  of  it  1  or  will  you  believe  it  on  the  naked 
dixit  of  a  Quaker  1    (3)  Ought  you  not  to  have 
more  and  greater    evidence    in  favor  of  the 
"  light,"  than  you  now  have  so  amply  in  favor  of 
"  the  holy  scriptures,"  before  you  venture  so  to  desert 
them  for  it,  as  to  call  them  "a  secondary  rule"  and 
give  to  it  the  desired  pre-eminence"!   (4)  Have  you 
not  A  DUTY  TO  DO  FOR  OTHERS,  as  well  as  yourself, 
in  resisting  a  "  damnable  heresy  "  that  would  de- 
grade and  in  effect  annul  forever     the  holy  scrips 
tures,"  in  behalf  of  a  moon-struck  non-entity  ima- 
gined to  reside  "  in  every  man  "  and  fabled  to  be 
vastly  superior  to  them  !    (5)  Have  you  well  con- 
sidered  the  greater  C0NFIR3tATI0N  of  the  CXCcl- 

lency  of  "  the  holy  scriptures,"  as  our  paramount 


487 


rule  in  religion,  in  that  the  apostle  proceeds  imme- 
diately to  state,  vs.  16  and  17,  that  the  whole 

SCRIPTURE  IS  DIVINELY  INSPIRED  ;  and  is  PROFITA- 
BLE for  ALL  THE  ENDS  which  the  chief  rule  in  reli- 
gion could  be  desired  to  answer^  "profitable," 
not  injurious  or  useless  or  of  small  utility,  to  those 
noble  ends  !  "  profitable  for  instruction,  for  convic- 
tion, for  correction,  for  education  in  righteousness  ; 
that  the  man  of  God  might  be  complete,  accom- 
plished perfectly  for  every  good  work." 

If  he  is  so  accomplished  by  "the  holy  scrip- 
tures," what  other  and  superior  rule  does  he  at 
all  require?  Quakerism  is  here  "weighed  in  the 
balances,  and  found  wanting."  Its  proper  epitome, 
and  its  future  epitaph,  is  TEKEL.  But  Friends 
are  afraid  of  the  man's  hand  that  writes  their  doom 
upon  the  wall — afraid  calmly  and  closely  to  see  the 
evidence,  that  the  scriptures  themselves  furnish,  in 
contrariety  and  in  extinction  to  their  light !  Barclay 
refers  indeed  to  the  verses  just  quoted  ;  but  in  what 
way  1  I  answer,  jesuitically  and  shamefully  alone  I 
He  glides  by  the  noble  and  the  glorious  passage,  as 
if  it  had  little  or  no  relevancy  to  the  argument :  he 
translates  it  wrong,  and  omits  the  first  two  uses 
specified,  for  which  "  the  holy  scriptures  "  are  de- 
clared to  be  "profitable."  Thus;  "All  scripture 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,  is  profitable — for  cor- 
rection, for  instruction  in  righteousness,"  &c.  And 
pray,  is  it  not  profitable  for  "  doctrine  V  and  also  for 
conviction,  "  reproof,"  or  perhaps  more  correctly  npog 
£;if)';^oi'for(I?"polemical  authority  and  decision :  since 
the  word  is  properly  forensic,  referring  to  arguments 


488 


used  in  a  court  of  judicature  for  the  demonstration 
of  points  contested  I    The  scripture  is  thus  the  ar  - 
biter of  controversy.    But  mark  the  serpent  coiled 
in  the  "silence"  of  his  lillies !    He  perverts  the 
sense  and  alters  the  proposition  ;  reasoning  in  a 
circle,  and  making  the  premises  uncertain,  and, 
changing  two  powerful  propositions  into  one  dilute 
and  quakerized  ;  to  the  utter  ruin  of  the  sense  !  In 
his  hands  it  informs  us  simply  that  "  all  scripture 
[that  is]  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  is  profitable  " 
for  a  thing  or  two !  instead  of  the  true  proposition, 
that  refers,  as  a  solemn  imprimatur  of  the  Spirit  to 
the  canonical  perfection  of  his  own  work,  to  "  the 
holy  scriptures,"  and  pronounces   them  de  facto, 
first,  to  be  "  given  by  inspiration  of  God  ;"  and  se- 
cond, to  be  "  profitable  "  for  all  the  ends  requisite 
and  competent  to  a  paramount  rule  in  religion !  But, 
it  may  be  said  to  me  ;  Did  you  not  make  a  transla- 
tion for  yourself]  and  if  so,  why  not  he  alsol  and  if 
lie  might,  why  not  omit  the  is  where  it  first  occurs, 
since  it  is  not  in  the  original  1    I  answer,  why  insert  ■ 
it  in  the  second  place,    is  profitable,"  since  neither 
there  is  it  found  in  the  original  \    Why  not  omit  it 
till  after  the  whole,  thus  elongating  and  qualifying 
the  subject  of  the  proposition,  and  postponing  the 
predicate — forever !    The  fact  is  that  the  proposi- 
tions are  two;  in  the  original  distinctly  marked,  and 
in  our  version  correctly  given.    The  grammar  of 
the  Greek  obviously  requires  tv/o  ;  and  the  con- 
junction xat  and  demonstrates  it,  though  Barclay, 
in  his     sincerity,"  ventures  wholly  to  omit  that 
word,  and  so,  designedly  or  otherwise,  emasculates 


489 


the  sentence  and  palms  upon  his  reader  a  most 
sleepy  and  silly  forgery  !  One  of  his  ends  in  this 
can  be  seen,  yea  two  of  them,  and  perhaps  more. 
As  he  has  serenely  changed  the  sense  ;  (1)  It  has 
no  particular  applicability  to  "  the  holy  scriptures," 
'as  the  received  volume  of  God,  known  and  honored 
by  the  whole  church,  then  and  since,  as  well  as  be- 
fore. (2)  It  is  a  proposition  of  total  insipidity,  as- 
certaining practically  nothing;  as  if  he  had  said, 
light  is  light,  and  good  to  see  by  ;  whatever  is  di- 
vinely inspired  is  divinely  inspired,  and  furthermore 
of  considerable  utility  on  one  or  two  accounts  ;  "  all 
scripture  given  by  inspiration  of  God  is  profitable  " — 
Is  it  ]  what  a  discovery  !  I  should  rather  doubt  it,  in 
some  instances  at  least,  if  I  could  judge  only  from 
the  influence  allowed  to  its  truth  by  certain  luminous 
characters  !  (3)  As  he  has  widened  the  circumfer- 
ence of  the  passage,  and  set  it  to  spinning  in  the  air 
round  an  uncertain  centre,  it  becomes  rather  "pro- 
fitable "  than  otherwise  to  Friends !  for  now  all 
their  illumined  writings,  that  were  "  given  forth  by 
that  that  made  the  scriptures,"  are  equally  within  its 
sanction  and  enclosure  !  "  All  scripture  given  by 
inspiration  of  God,  is  profitable  :"  hence  the  writings 
of  George  Fox,  Robert  Barclay,  William  Penn,  Job 
Scott,  and  others,  men  and  women,  more  than  we 
can  number,  become  canonical  at  once  !  Quere — 
Would  Friends  have  any  special  objection  to  the 
whole  world  walking  by  Barclay's  Apology,  as 
their  paramount  rule  in  religion  X  What  a  fine  time 
indeed,  if  all  the  world  would  thus  come  to  the 
^ light!''    And  would  it  make  a  fine  eternity  tool 

62 


490 


(4)  While  I  truly  leave  it  with  God  what  were  his 
motives  in  this  perversion  and  imposture,  I  charge 
him  in  effect  with  the  ends  alleged,  and  suppose  that 
in  this  I  only  show,  as  it  is,  the  prevaricating  nature 
of  Quakerism.  It  is  not  evidence  that  makes  the 
system,  that  constitutes,  upholds,  or  diffuses  it.  I 
could  fill  a  volume  of  commentary  with  similar  crit- 
icisms on  similar  perversions  of  its  own ;  perversions 
belonging  to  the  light,  as  children  to  a  parent,  in  its 
other  exhibitions  of  "  darkness  visible." 

It  were  easy  to  multiply  instances  of  scriptural  de- 
claration, utterly  at  variance  with  the  huge  heresy 
here  opposed  :  but  I  will  conclude  this  last  division 
of  the  subject  with  the  consideration  of  one  that 
seems  apposite  to  the  place  as  well  as  suitable  to 
the  argument.  I  allude  to  those  solemn  words  with 
which  the  sacred  volume  concludes  ;  Rev.  22  :  18- 
21,  especially  the  former  verses  of  the  four.  On 
these,  without  caring  to  quote  them  in  order,  I  sub- 
mit the  following  observations.    1.  They  exhibit  a 

SOLEMN  SEALING  OF  THE  SACRED  CANON.    (1)  I  aSSUme 

here  that  the  Apocalypse  was  written  last  of  the 
books  of  the  New  Testament  ;  and  though  I  know 
that  biblical  antiquarians  have  differed  on  the  point, 
I  do  not  know  that  the  opposite  arguments  have  any 
solid  respectability.  (2)  The  sanction  respects  the 
sin  of  changing  or  mutilating  the  sacred  text,  so  as 
to  corrupt  Christianity,  and  pass  off  a  forgery  against 
heaven  on  the  creduHty  of  men  ;  and  this  either  by 
adding  or  subtracting,  or  in  any  other  way  vitiating 
its  divine  integrity.  Hence,  as  it  respects  the  quan- 
tum of  the  sin  and  its  nature,  no  reason  can  be 


491 


given  why  it  should  be  interpreted  restrictively  to 
this  particular  book ;  since  the  sin  is  much  the  same, 
to  whatever  portion  it  refers  of  the  sacred  canon. 
It  is  like  forging  or  erasing  the  signature  of  God. 
The  inference  is  that  at  all  events  it  extends  morally 
to  the  whole  Bible.  (3)  It  imports  that  more  inspi- 
ration is  neither  necessary,  nor  probable,  nor  at  all 
to  be  expected.  (4)  It  requires  us  to  take  heed  to 
what  it  thus  seals,  as  sufficient  for  its  end  and  of 
infinite  utility  to  us.  "  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth, 
and  they  that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and 
keep  those  things  which  are  written  therein  :  for  the 
time  is  at  hand."  2.  The  four  concluding  verses, 
taken  in  connection,  prospectively  refer  to  the  end 
of  time,  to  the  second  coming  of  our  Lord.  The 
sealing  of  the  canon  evidently  contemplates  the  in- 
termediate ages  :  it  is  sealed  finally,  as  the  finishing 
of  inspired  prophecy ;  "  always,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world."  This  I  take  to  be  both  evident  and 
important.  Other  scriptures  also,  and  I  may  say 
the  total  tenor  and  scope  of  prophecy,  declare  the 
same  thing.  It  is  precisely  analogous  to  the  manner 
and  the  certain  truth  of  its  import,  in  which  the  Old 
Testament  scriptures  were  sealed  by  the  concluding 
verses  of  Malachi.  Chap.  4 :  4-6.  Those  words 
sealed  the  prophetic  disclosures  for  more  than  four 
hundred  years  ;  and  plainly  till  the  first  coming  of 
Messiah,  or  especially  till  the  times  of  his  precursor 
and  cotemporary,  John  the  Baptist ;  who  was  per- 
sonally the  predicted  "  Elijah  the  prophet,"  of  that 
eventful  period.  Till  then,  the  church  was  distinctly 
apprized  that  the  prophetic  gift  would  retire  and  its 


492 


oracles  no  more  be  communicated  ;  consequently 
they  were  referred  to  those  alreacly  copious  scrip- 
tures for  their  paramount  rule  in  the  portentous  in- 
terval. "Remember  ye  the  law  of  Moses  my  ser- 
vant, which  I  commanded  unto  him  in  Horeb  for 
ALL  Israel,  with  the  statutes  and  judgments. 
Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet  before 
the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  the 
Lord."  Consequently,  we  have  the  best  reason  to 
believe  historically,  that  the  fact  corresponded  with 
the  prediction.  Many  pseudo-sacred  books  were 
indeed  written;  but  they  were  utterly  rejected  from 
the  canon  of  the  church.  The  books  that  consti- 
tute what  we  call  the  Apocrypha,  were  all  written 
in  this  interval ;  and  are  on  that  account  alone,  if 
other  cardinal  proofs  were  not  demonstrative  and 
abundant,  condemned  as  spurious;  notwithstanding 
their  canonized  validity  according  to  the  council  of 
Trent.  So  is  sealed  the  New  Testament  canon, 
and  with  it  the  total  volume  of  inspiration,  till  the 
second  coming  of  Christ  in  the  end  of  the  world  : 
an  event  which  he  declares  shall  occur  "  quickly," 
or  with  as  much  rapidity  as  infinite  providence, 
rolling  on  the  events  of  things,  can  well  and  wisely 
order  in  their  course.  The  church  also  responds 
with  kindred  rapture,  as  the  bride  beloved  salutes 
the  appointed  hour  of  her  bridegroom's  return ; 
"  Even  so,  come.  Lord  Jesus."  And  till  he  come, 
according  to  his  own  engagement,  the  canon  of 

PROPHECY  IS  PLAINLY  SEALED  BY  HmSELF  :   nOr  is 

it  HIS  BRIDE  that  will  encourage  a  forgery  in  his 
name.    What  then  are  we  to  expect  in  the  mean- 


493 


time  1  I  answer,  our  anticipation  ought  to  be  two- 
fold ;  (1)  That  spurious  prophecy  will  abound. 
This  is  the  fact.  In  every  age  since,  we  have  seen 
the  sibyl  leaves  of  sorcery  scattered  on  the  winds 
of  heaven  for  the  ruin  of  the  nations  :  so  that  the 
Apocryphal  writings  of  the  new  dispensation  are 
more  numerous  and  more  execrable,  and  some  of 
them  more  specious,  than  those  of  the  old.^^  I  place 
the  icritings  of  the  Quakers,  with  their  voluminous 
simulation  and  their  virulence  of  error,  among  the 
most  successful  counterfeitings  of  Satan  in  these 
latter  ages.  They  are  plainly  spurious  pretenders 
to  an  equal,  nay  "  greater,"  because  fresher,  autho- 
rity, than  "  the  holy  scriptures."  They  are  specious 
and  plausible,  as  the  "angel  of  light"  apparent, 
by  whom  they  were  inspired.  They  intoxicate  with 
their  potations  all  by  whom  they  are  imbibed  ;  in- 
troducing "  another  Jesus,  another  Spirit,  another 
gospel,"  and  not  those  of  the  scriptures  of  truth. 
The  Quakers,  the  Mormonites,  the  profouindly 
STUPID  TONGUES  of  the  British  metropolis,  and 
others,  thousands  such,  have  since  appeared  with 
their  very  authentic  inspirations  !  nor  is  this  the 
end.  "False  Christs "  and  every  kind  of  false 
prophets  and  false  doctrines,  will  crowd  the  pro- 
cession of  the  future,  till  the  millennium.  (2)  That 
we  ought  to  expect  no  more  genuine  prophecy  ; 
no,  not  till  the  end  of  time.  The  spurious  has  been 
easily  identified  hitherto,  even  summarily,  by  inter- 
nal evidence.  It  seems  almost  obvious  absolutely, 
that  no  more  of  the  true  is  needed,  nor  will  ever 
be  given.    I  do  not  say  that  "  knowledge  "  will  not 


494 


"  be  increased,"  both  by  the  improvement  and  the 
diffusion  of  hght :  but  both  shall  proceed  from  the 
perfect  volume  that  God  hath  "  sealed  till  the  time 
of  the  end !"  The  Bible  will  be  more  and  more 
perfectly  understood  ;  more  and  more  purely  and 
faithfully  interpreted ;  more  and  more  extensively 
pondered  and  known ;  more  and  more  translated 
into  different  languages  ;  more  and  more  commu- 
nicated to  the  nations,  and  universaUzed  in  its 
glorious  benefits.  We  live  in  the  last  dispensation, 
most  certainly  :  and  though  the  most  eventful  and 
the  best  of  its  portentous  series  is  probably  to 
come,  yet  the  "  paradised  ages  "  before  us  will  con- 
stitute not  a  new  dispensation,  but  only  the  more 
"  blessed  and  holy  "  consummation  of  the  present. 
I  expect  such  a  consummation  ;  and  by  such  means 
induced — together  with  intermingled  judgments, 
some  or  many  of  which  will  electrify  the  world  ! 
and  things  more  terrible,  in  executing  summary 
wrath  on  the  multitudes  of  the  post-millennial  apos- 
tacy ;  just  as  time  and  eternity  meet,  and  "  the 
Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory  and  all  the  holy 
angels  with  him;"  shall  raise  the  mighty  congrega- 
tion of  the  dead ;  and  "  shall  sit  upon  the  throne 
of  his  glory."    Matt.  25  :  19,  31.    Acts  1  :  9-11. 

1  Cor.  15  :  24-28.    Phil.  3  :  20,  21.    1.  Thess. 

2  :  19.  3  :  13.  4  :  13-18.  2  Thess.  2  :  1,  2-5. 
1  Tim.  6  :  13-16.  2  Tim.  4  :  1.  Tit.  2  :  12,  13. 
Heb.  9  :  28.  2  Pet.  3  :  7-14.  Rev.  1  :  7,  8.  Then 
indeed  will  come  that  3iost  "  great  and  terrible 
DAY  OF  THE  LoRD,"  to  which  all  similar  days  had 
been  typical  and  tributary.    3.  We  ought  to  trem- 


495 


ble  indeed  at  the  sin  and  danger  of  mutilating 
"  THE  ORACLES  OF  GoD !"  Tliis  may  be  done  in 
many  ways :  but  in  two  principally,  which  are  spe- 
cified distinctly  in  the  obsignation.  (1)  By  addi- 
tion. "  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things, 
God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  writ- 
ten in  this  book."  If  "  any  man  "  will  examine 
these  "  plagues  "  in  detail,  he  will  soon  find  them 
to  transcend  all  ordinary  damnation  ;  yet  they  shall 
be  added  to  him  who  adds  to  the  inspired  canon 
the  forgeries  of  his  own  imagining  :  and  WHO 
shall  add  them "?  d/^  "  GOD  shall  add  unto  him  the 
plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book !"  Is  it  any 
venture  here  to  infer  the  distinguished  wicked- 
ness, beyond  all  powers  of  language  or  of  thought 
to  express,  of  such  profanation  !  such  felony  against 
heaven  !  such  forgery  of  the  seal  royal  of  "  the 
only  wise  God !"  Whose  cause  is  subserved  by 
such  systematic  sorcery  \  the  cause  of  truth  or  error, 
of  salvation  or  perdition,  of  Jesus  Christ  or  of  that 
chieftain  "  of  the  bottomless  pit,  whose  name  in 
the  Hebrew  tongue,  is  Abaddon  ;  but  in  the  Greek 
tongue,  hath  his  name  Apollyon  ;"  in  the  English, 
whose  name  is  Destroyer.  But  are  Friends  ob- 
noxious to  this  awful  commination  \  I  answer, 
promptly,  05^  NO — if  their  claims  to  inspira- 
tion are  valid  and  correct  !  But,  if  they  are 

NOT,  they  are  more  PERFECTLY  ENTITLED  TO  ITS 
VOLLIES  of  wrath  DISCHARGED  UPON  THEM  THAN 
ANY  OTHER    RELIGIONISTS    KNOWN    TO   ME  IN  THIS 

AGE.  It  is  undeniable,  and  it  were  monstrous  to 
deny,  that  their  claims  are  as  high  as  any  claims 


496 


ever  were.  The  only  difference  is,  that,  as  all  false 
pretension  overacts  and  becomes  more  such  in  ap- 
pearance than  that  which  is  true,  Quakerism  claims 
more,  and  that  much  more  importunately,  than  real 
inspiration  does  !  George  Fox  has  almost  every 
sentence  first  or  last  fenced  with  the  averment, 
"  The  Lord  said  to  me  ;  the  Lord  told  me  ;  the  Lord 
showed  me  and  such  like  claims  to  an  inspiration 
of  the  highest  kind,  that  of  direct  suggestion,  plen- 
ary, constant,  perfect,  reaching  to  all  his  inspired 
ACTIONS  as  well  as  all  his  words ;  and  (as  Barclay 
claims)  becoming  alone  competent  as  the  rule  of 
universal  practice.  This  then  is  "adding"  with  a 
witness !  On  supposition  that  their  claims  are  de- 
lusive and  false,  they  are  in  a  condition  at  once 
most  guilty  and  horrible — none  the  less  because 
they  "  say,  peace  and  safety."  I  press  the  power 
of  this  dilemma  ;  for  it  is  no  fiction,  or  invention,  or 
artifice,  but  the  solemn  truth  of  the  matter.  If  their 
preachers  and  authors  are  inspired,  their  communi- 
cations are,  as  Penn  declares,  confirming  the  oracles 
of  another  spiritual  ventriloquist,  of  equal,  yea, 
"greater  authority;"  because  more  'immediately' 
or  recently  given  :  if  not  inspired,  they  are  entitled 
to  all  the  plagues  written  in  this  book  !  Reader, 
on  which  horn  do  you  prefer  to  swing  1  I  know 
with  what  lubricity  they  can  manage  to  slip  away 
from  the  conclusion — but  I  know  too  that  there  are 
others  who  care  for  the  truth.  But  the  scriptures 
may  be  mutilated,  and  the  sin  and  peril  incurred,  (2) 
By  subtracting  from  their  finished  code.  For  "  if 
any  man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book 


497 


of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out 
of  the  book  of  life,  and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and 
from  the  things  which  are  written  in  this  book." 
This  is  plainly  a  threat  of  equal  awe.  I  ask ;  Are 
Friends  exposed  to  it  1  Is  there  any  sense  in  which 
they  "  take  away  from  "  the  canonical  scriptures  1 
I  answer,  There  are  several ;  Jirst,  They  supersede 
them  with  their  own  spurious  inspiration,  in  whole 
or  in  part,  in  principle  or  in  effect,  by  pre-occupying 
the  minds  of  the  people  and  bewitching  them  with 
their  ephemeral  and  fresh  supplies  of  inspiration ! 
Second,  They  give  the  people  such  an  idea  of  the 
NATURE  OF  INSPIRATION,  agaiust  its  true  dignity 
and  perfection,  by  intruding  their  miserable  speci- 
mens continually  on  their  notice,  that  the  conclusion 
is  natural,  and  even  necessary,  that  all  inspiration  is 
equally  childish,  moonstruck,  insipid  !  and  this  is 
"  taking  away  "  from  the  true  "  oracles  of  God  " 
their  proper  excellency  and  use.  Third,  It  comes 
to  pass  by  the  whole  influence  of  their  notions  and 
their  scheme  that  "  the  holy  scriptures  "  are  very 
MUCH  REDUCED  in  valuc  and  in  efficacy,  in  the 
practical  estimate  of  their  people,  especially  their 
youth  ;  who,  with  some  rare  exceptions,  are  prover- 
bially ignorant  and  almost  paganized  in  respect  to 
the  contents  of  that  book  of  God  !  They  have  no 
catechisms  or  creeds  ;  no  bible-classes  of  parochial 
exercise  and  insight  in  the  treasures  of  the  truth  ; 
no  Sunday-schools  (unless  quite  recently  "  pro- 
voked "  to  that  good  work — though  quakerized)  in 
which  to  teach  their  children ;  and  no  pastoral  care, 
instruction,  and  sound  indoctrination  on  "the Lord's 

63 


498 


day."  The  scriptures  are  not  read  at  all  in  their 
pubHc  meetings  :  nor  have  they  any  such  thing  as 
the  domestic  altar  or  regular  family  religion,  or 
social  worship  of  any  kind  in  their  domestic  scenes — 
except  some  equally  few  and  fitful  visitations  of  tra- 
velling inspirati,  now  and  then,  to  teach  them  com- 
paratively nothing.  To  "  take  away  "  from  "  the 
holy  scriptures"  their  admirable  use,  is  richly  to 
deserve  the  curse  written  for  the  deed!  It  is  to 
entail  curses  by  wholesale  on  the  souls  of  sinners 
around  us !  It  is  to  marshal  the  way  of  the  unre- 
conciled, in  everlasting  deviation  from  God  !  And  it 
is  to  satisfy  and  to  secure  them  with  a  piece  of 
hateful  treachery  within  them,  by  which  they  are 
to  walk,  as  "  a  more  noble  and  excellent  rule !" 
Hence,  in  effect,  in  ways  other  than  I  have  here 
mentioned,  (that  I  know,)  in  the  common  sentiments 
and  conversation  of  many  of  them,  they  take  away 
from  "  the  word  of  God"  all  its  proper  virtue,  all  its 
best  results,  all  its  glorious  hopes  !  Is  this  no  sin  1 
"  For  I  TESTIFY,"  says  Jesus  Christ,  "  unto  every 
man  that  heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this 
book !"  He  testifies  the  sin  of  mutilation,  and  the 
doom  of  its  perpetrator  ! 

Very  well  do  I  know,  here  and  elsewhere,  what 
Friends  allege  against  these  charges.  They  say; 
Why,  we  do  verily  esteem  the  scriptures  as  the 
noblest  writings  in  the  world  ;  we  read  them  fre- 
quently, and  exhort  our  youth  to  do  the  same,  as 
they  all  can  witness :  so  that  it  is  rank  calumny 
thus  to  blaze  us  abroad  as  contemners  of  the  scrip- 
tures.   This  is  perhaps  the  substance  of  their  an- 


4 


490 

swer,  as  I  have  often  "  witnessed  "  it.  Well,  grant 
that  this  is  all  to  some  extent — possibly — true  :  I 
will  tell  you,  Friends,  what  else  ye  do,  abrogating 
all  the  good.  You  tell  them  (1)  That  they  are  only 
"  a  secondary  rule ;"  a  good  book,  but  not  "  the 
word  of  God."  (2)  That  each  of  them  has  their 
paramount  in  his  own  heart,  "  by  attending  to  whose 

clear  manifestations  "  than  which  a  worse  error 

could  scarcely  be  told  to  them,  or  believed  by  them  '. 

(3)  That  inspiration  has  not  ceased  at  all ;  but  that 
the  writings  of  inspired  Friends  are  very  '  profit- 
able,' being  fresher  "  given  forth "  by  the  same 
Spirit,  and  worthy  to  be  pondered  by  all  Friends. 

(4)  That  Friends  value  the  scriptures,  not  as  the 
priests  and  hirelings  and  world's  people  do  ;  since 
the  Bible  is  not  the  gospel,  but  only  a  record  of  the 
things  of  previous  ages  and  dispensations  in  rela- 
tion to  the  living  principle,  "  a  measure  of  which  is 
given  to  all  to  profit  with."  Penn.  And,  (5)  You 
DO  NOT  TELL  THEM,  for  this  is  Contrary  to  your  prin- 
ciples, of  THE  INFINITE  IMPORTANCE  of  bcCOming 

acquainted  with  their  contents  !  the  guilt  and  sin  of 
their  condition,  till  converted  heartily  to  God !  the 
certain  perdition  of  their  "  dying  in  their  sins!"  the 
necessity  of  loving  that  truth  identically,  which  is 
there  revealed,  in  order  to  the  existence  of  piety  in 
the  soul !  the  fact  that  God  uses  his  written  truth  as 
the  universal  instrument,  directly  or  indirectly,  of  all 
the  ascertained  piety  in  the  world  !  the  evil  of  igno- 
rance, error,  indifference,  and  unbelief ;  and  the  utter 
hopelessness  of  continuing  in  impenitence !  the  ne- 
cessity of  application,  without  prejudice,  indolence, 


500 

or  intermission  ;  and  the  equal  necessity  of  prayer, 
hearty  believing  prayer,  to  "the  Father  of  hghts  " 
and  the  Maker  of  mind,  without  intpiously  waiting 
for  "  a  special  impulse  "  to  pray,  in  order  to  profi- 
cien(;y  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  And  (6)  you 
give  them  no  adequate  helps,  motives,  and  really 
learned  instruction,  calculated  to  interest  their 
minds  and  affect  their  thoughts  and  attach  their 
feelings  with  practical  intensity.  How  could  you 
give,  what  you  do  not  possess  ;  or  adequately  recom- 
mend what  you  never  experienced  l  Hence  there 
is  next  to  none  of  sound  biblical  instruction  enjoy- 
ed by  your  children ;  while  they  are  conscientious 
against  trusting  all  it  says,  lest  they  should  fall 
into  the  snare  of  preferring  it  to  the  inward  light ; 
which  is  "  a  more  noble  and  excellent  rule  !"  This 
I  know  is  fact ! 

The  conclusion  is  that  the  charge  of  mutilation 
of  the  scriptures  is  good  against  you  !  and  now  I 
increase  it  perhaps,  by  adding  my  own  conviction 
that  no  other  heresy  does  this  more  effectually  ;  and 
that  the  good  things,  that  you  say  in  praise  of  the 
Bible  and  compound  with  your  poisonous  heresy, 
only  enhance  the  evil !  for  no  one  then  suspects  you 
of  any  injurious  influence.  "Art  thou  in  health, 
my  brother  1"  You  kiss  while  you  betray  the  Son 
of  man  !  You  smile  when  you  stab  him  to  the 
heart!  You  very  sincerely  "crucify  him  afresh  and 
put  him  to  an  open  shame  !"  While  doing  the  work 
of  an  enemy,  you  claim  to  be  pre-eminently  a  friend ! 
You  prevent,  in  your  own  incomparable  way,  that 
just  estimate  of  "  the  oracles  of  God,"  without 


I 

501  % 


which  not  one  man  in  a  thousand  is  ever  actu- 
ated in  devoutly  reading  them  to  the  benefit  of  his 
soul ;  and  then  say  many  fine  things  about  such  fine 
writings !  In  this  way  too  you  deceive  yourselves  : 
and  you  as  well  deceive  others.  The  superficial 
beholder  thinks  better  of  you  than  the  truth.  Ma- 
ny an  infidel  Friend,  and  I  have  known  such  mem- 
bers of  meeting  and  "  plain  "  ones  too,  passes  for  a 
believer  and  a  christian,  because  of  his  dress  and 
his  address  alone  ;  just  as  wretched  brass  often 
passes  for  gold,  because  of  an  exterior  stamp,  at 
making  which  counterfeiters  are  expert,  but  which 
does  not  change  its  nature.  So  may  an  enlighten- 
ed christian  say  of  the  theatre,  when  one  of  its  fa- 
natical votaries  blames  him  for  his  censure  of  it : 
thus — That  there  are  many  good  things  in  it,  I  do 
not  deny  or  doubt.  Its  sentiment  is  often  as  good 
identically  as  the  gospel  of  God,  which  it  correctly 
quotes ;  often  as  refined  and  poetical  as  Milton  or 
Watts  ;  often  full  of  manly  and  generous  incite- 
ment ;  often  delightfully  rhetorical,  displaying  some 
of  the  finest  examples  of  true  eloquence  ;  often 
mentally  improving  and  rationally  entertaining  ; 
and  sometimes  possibly  affording  a  less  censurable 
way  of  spending  or  rather  mis-spending  a  whole 
evening — than  some  others  that  could  be  named. 
What  then  1  Is  the  theatrical  system  good  ?  I  an- 
swer, far  from  it.  It  is  a  school  of  vice  ;  a  system 
of  ruin  ;  as  Tillotson  said,  *  the  chapel  of  the  devil 
the  antechamber  of  hell  ;  as  bad  as  gambling  and 
swindling  and  methodized  impurity  can  make  it  ; 
the  royal  exchange  of  universal  profligacy  ;  the  place 


502 


where  all  young  men  almost,  who  go  to  perdition 
before  they  die  as  well  as  afterward,  in  our  large 
cities,  commence  their  dissolute  courses  and  enter 
their  novitiate  of  vice  ;  a  system  which,  stern  statis- 
tics and  matter-of-fact  experience  have  demonstrat- 
ed, could  not  exist  a  year,  but  for  that  thorough 
alliance  with  sensual  iniquity  and  other  abomina- 
tions, which  has  always  characterized  it  in  both 
hemispheres.  If  this  account  be  correct,  I  ask  any 
sober  reader,  if  the  virtues  of  the  stage  are  not  as 
helpful  to  the  system  as  the  opposite  parts  of  it !  if 
the  system  is  not  worse  (because  at  once  sustained 
and  disguised  by  them)  on  account  of  the  inciden- 
tal excellencies  involved  !  if  the  very  courtezans 
that  haunt  it,  as  their  devoted  temple,  are  any  more 
necessary  to  it  as  a  whole,  than  are  those  cunningly 
intermingled  excellencies  1 

I  say  the  same  of  Quakerism.  As  a  system,  it 
is  a  cheat,  a  spiritual  hallucination.  It  is  not  Chris- 
tianity. It  takes  away  salvation  ;  and  teaches  you 
to  be  smooth  and  soft !  It  robs  you  of  the  only 
hope  of  a  sinner  ;  and  gives  you  "  inward  light " 
for  your  "more  noble  and  excellent"  compensation. 
It  supersedes  the  Redeemer  and  his  offices ;  and 
requites  the  felony  with — a  plain  and  peaceful  garb ! 
It  does  this — and  says  and  does  a  great  number  of 
other  things  which  are  quite  good  and  worthy  of  in^- 
mense  commendation  !  And  because  of  these  other 
things,  it  requires  all  men  to  approve  the  system,  and 
fellowship  its  votaries,  and  have  a  perfect  fraternal 
charity  toward  all  "  the  blind  leaders  of  the  blind," 
that  mean  no  harm,  are  very  sincere,  and  see  no 


503 


danger  in  that  way !  I  confess  that  it  nauseates 
my  soul  to  read  or  hear  a  Friend  praising  the  scrip- 
tures. To  betray  Christ  was  hardly  as  great  a  sin 
as  that  affectionate  kiss  the  traitor  gave  him !  Nor 
can  I  dispassionately  believe  that  my  present  deci- 
sion results  from  any  greater  or  worse  cause  than 
a  peculiar  acquaintance  with  the  reality  of  the  case, 
and  with  both  sides  of  the  unappreciated  argument. 
So  far  am  I  from  any  personal  exasperation,  that  it 
is  love  for  their  souls — God  is  witness — that  in- 
duces me  both  to  abhor  their  errors  and  to  give 
"voice  and  utterance"  to  that  abhorrence.  But 
they  will  not  credit  this  averment  ;  far  otherwise  ! 
—  a  sentiment  which  it  more  grieves  than  surprises 
me  to  discern  the  necessity  of  entertaining.  "  The 
disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant 
above  his  lord.  It  is  enough  for  the  disciple  that 
he  be  as  his  master,  and  the  servant  as  his  lord  ! 
If  they  have  called  the  master  of  the  house  Beelze- 
bub, how  much  more  shall  they  call  them  of  his 
household  !"  Jesus  Christ  never  found  out  the  way 
of  speaking  the  truth  faithfully  to  unconverted  men 
without  displeasing  them. 

I  conclude  with  the  remark,  that  now  for  more 
than  twenty  years,  have  I  been  strongly  and  increas- 
ingly convinced  that  the  errors  in  which  I  was  nur- 
tured and  which  (though  I  neither  did  my  duty  nor 
thought  myself  a  christian)  I  sincerely  believed, 
identifying  them  with  all  the  Christianity  I  knew, 
are  radical  and  destructive  ;  worse  for  their  specious 
appearances,  their  interesting  and  conciliating  ac- 
companiments, and  the  things  truly  good  embraced 


504 


in  the  system  as  a  whole  :  and  that  the  experience 
I  have  really  had  of  them  and  of  Christianity  in 
competition,  and  the  spiritual  perils  I  have  neces- 
sarily encountered  in  consequence,  authorize  me  at 
least  to  speak  and  publish  my  own  solemn  convic- 
tion respecting  them.  If  in  doing  this,  I  have  ap- 
peared to  use  more  severity  and  rigor  than  were 
properly  allowable,  I  can  only  say  I  will  repent  of 
what  I  have  written,  the  matter  of  it,  as  soon  as  I 
am  convinced  of  its  impropriety ;  while  the  motive 
of  it,  I  refer  to  the  Judge  eternal — and  the  manner, 
to  those  who  choose  to  criticise  it :  since  well  I 
know  that  no  man  is  competent  to  condemn  this 
performance,  who  is  not  a  sound  and  practical  chris- 
tian ;  and  who,  to  a  correct  knowledge  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  scriptures,  does  not  unite  such  an  ac- 
quaintance with  the  contrasted  errors  of  Friends, 
as  to  be  thence  qualified  impartially  to  estimate  and 
incorruptly  to  pronounce  on  their  high  pretensions. 
"Fear  them  not  therefore :  for  there  is  nothing  co- 
vered that  shall  not  be  revealed  ;  and  hid,  that  shall 
not  be  known.  What  I  tell  you  in  darkness,  that 
speak  ye  in  light ;  and  what  ye  hear  in  the  ear,  that 
preach  ye  upon  the  house-tops.  And  fear  not  them 
that  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul : 
but  rather  fear  him,  who  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul 
and  body  in  hell." 


— 

THE  SACRAMENTS:    THE  MINISTRY. 

The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us.    2  Cor.  5  :  14. 
Tut  will  ise  done  in  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.    Matt.  6  :  10. 
The  testimo.mt  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy.  Rev.  19  :  10. 
Now  I  praise  you,  brethren,  that  ye  remember  me  in  all  things,  and  keep  the 

ordinances  as  I  DELIVERED  THEM   TO  YOU.      1  CoT.  11:2. 

This  is  he  that  came  by  water  and  blood,  even  Jesus  Christ ;  not  by  water  only, 
hut  by  water  and  blood.  And  it  is  the  Spirit  that  beareth  witness,  because  the  Spirit 
is  truth.    1  John,  5  :  6. 

Repent,  and  be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  sliall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Acts,  2  : 

And  he  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  break  it,  and  gave  unto  them, 
^*y'"g)  This  is  my  body  which  is  given  for  you  :  this  do  in  remembrance 
OF  ME.  Likewise  also  the  cup  after  supper,  saj'ing,  This  cup  is  the  new  testa- 
ment [covenant]  in  my  blood  which  is  shed  for  you.    Luke,  22  :  19,  20. 

But  let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink 
of  that  cup.  For  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketli 
damnation  [judgment]  to  himself,  not  discerning  the  Lord's  body.  1  Corin- 
thians, 11  :  28,  29. 

Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his 
friends.  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ie  do  whatsoever  I  command  you.  John, 
15  :  13,  14. 

For  thus  IT  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness.    Matt.  3  :  15. 

.\nd  he  saith  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  they  who  are  called  to  the  mar- 
riage-supper of  the  Lamb.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  These  are  the  true  sayings 
of  God.    Rev.  19:9. 

And  thou  hast  tried  those  who  sat  they  are  apostles,  and  are  not  ; 
and  hast  found  them  liars.    Rev.  2  :  2. 

Even  from  the  days  of  your  fathers  yo  are  gone  away  from  mine  ordinances, 
and  have  not  kept  them.  Return  unto  me,  and  I  will  return  unto  you,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts.    But  ye  said.  Wherein  shall  we  return  ?    Mai.  :  37. 

Wo  unto  them  that  arc  wise  in  their  own  eyes,  and  prudent  in  their  own 
bight !  Therefore  is  the  anger  of  the  Lord  kindled  against  his  people,  and  he 
hath  stretched  forth  his  hand  against  them,  and  hath  smilten  them.  There- 
fore as  the  fire  devourcth  the  stubble,  and  the  flame  consumeth  the  chaff,  so 
their  root  shall  be  as  rottenness,  and  their  blossom  shall  go  up  as  dust:  be- 
cause tiiet  have  cast  away  the  law  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  and  des- 
pised THE  WORD  of  the  Holt  One  of  Israel.    Isai.  6  :  21,24,  25. 

Now  as  Janes  and  Jambres  withstood  Moses,  so  do  these  also  resist  the 
truth  :  men  of  corrupt  minds,  reprobate  concerning  the  faith.  But  they  shall 
proceed  no  further :  for  their  folly  shall  be  manifest  unto  all  men,  as  theirs 
also  was.    2  Tim.  3  :  8,  9. 

64 


PART  THIR1>. 


THE  SACRAMENTS. 

The  high  spiritual  pretensions  of  Friendism  and 
its  instinctive  absorbing  tendency  to  the  interior, 
which  may  be  termed  (for  we  may  make  a  word  in 
such  a  case  of  singularity)  its  interiorizing  cha- 
racteristic, its  pervading  fondness  for  the  invisible 
penetralia  of  the  human  tabernacle,  where  best  its 
indefinite  and  mysticising  orgies  can  be  performed, 
to  mention  just  here  no  other  and  possibly  more  po- 
tent causes,  may  well  account  for  its  unsufFering 
antipathy  to  the  christian  sacraments.  Few  how- 
ever, to  whom  Friends  and  their  writings  are  not 
both  known,  can  imagine  how  great  their  devout 
aversion  is  towards  these  abrogated  shadows,  as 
they  love  to  regard  them ; — these  divine  institu- 
tions, as  they  are  fully  demonstrated  and  justly 
termed. 

The  importance  of  the  christian  sacraments  may 
be  inferred  absolutely  from  the  fact,  when  proved, 
of  their  divine  origination  and  authority.  It  may 
be  subordinately  shown  from  their  proper  nature, 
their  true  significancy,  their  instructive  implications, 
the  experience  of  communicants,  the  history  and 
character  of  some  who  have  rejected  them,  and  the 
testimony  of  the  most  learned  and  excellent  writers 
in  the  church ;  as  well  as  from  their  catholic  preva- 


508 


lence  and  certain  antiquity  as  adjuncts  of  the  chris- 
tian religion.  But — we  repeat  it — if  the  bare  fact 
of  the  pleasure  of  God  in  the  matter  will  not  corn- 
mend  them  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  when  duly 
vindicated  as  divine  ordinances,  we  may  almost  de- 
spair of  lower  considerations,  and  leave  the  incor- 
rigible to  the  judgment  of  God.  Their  importance 
in  relation  to  Friends,  however,  is  peculiar.  To 
affirm  or  deny  their  claims  affects  a  system  of  doc- 
trine. The  Friend  could  not  be  convinced  of  their 
divinity,  without  supposing  that  spiritual  duty  had 
some  (and  possibly  more)  exterior  and  formal  rela- 
tions. It  would  then  induce  him  to  consult  external 
evidence.  It  would  obligate  his  conscience  to  some 
outward  religious  performances.  It  would  explode 
his  total  system.  It  would  teach  him  not  to  call  that 
common,  which  God  had  called  holy.  He  would 
hence  desire  instruction  ;  he  would  consult  scripture, 
become  candid,  value  exposition  and  all  proper  helps 
to  the  just  and  full  investigation  of  the  sense  of  scrip- 
ture, and  feel  bound  by  any  outward  lights  which 
God  has  evidently  lighted  and  sustained  for  direc- 
tion in  the  way  of  his  will.  One  great  proof  with  me 
(c  plurimis  unum )  that  Quakerismis  not  Christia- 
nity, is  derived  from  the  sacraments.  I  am  sure  that 
these  are  divine  ordinances ;  and  that  the  evidence 
that  they  are  such  is  perfectly  conclusive.  Quaker- 
ism rejects  that  evidence;  and  I  reject  Quakerism. 

By  a  sacrament,  I  mean,  a  divinely  appointed 
form  of  worship  in  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ,  with 
respect  to  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  ichich,  hy  sensi- 
ble signals   mutually  approved,   either  party  is 


509 


plighted  to  the  other  according  to  the  tenor  of  the 
promises  ;  God  to  the  believer  for  his  salvation,  and 
the  believer  to  God  as  the  object  of  his  choice,  his 
joy,  his  worship,  his  praise,  and  his  inheritance. 

Protestants  justly  affirm  that  there  are  two  sa- 
craments, and  only  two,  under  the  gospel.  There 
are  many  other  matters,  which,  though  divine  or- 
dinances, (as  magistracy,  marriage,  divorce  in  cer- 
tain cases,  and  others,)  are  still  not  sacraments  : 
because  they  refer  rather  to  human  society  and 
secular  order  than  to  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  or, 
the  spiritual  stipulations  of  the  parties  and  the  im- 
mediate interests  of  the  soul.   The  names  of  those, 
as  sacrament,   eucharist,   baptism,  washing,  the 
Lord's  supper,  sealing  ordinances,  and  the  like,  are 
comparatively  of  small  concern.  We  write  of  things. 
If  the  fact  can  be  proved,  according  to  the  defini- 
tion given  above,  our  main  purpose  is  gained.  I 
believe  in  the  things,  and  can  assign  competent  rea- 
sons for  the  names  by  which  they  are  distinguished. 
If  Friends  could  be  brought  to  see  the  divine  wis- 
dom of  the  things  themselves,  they  could  also  be 
brought,  and  that  with  ease,  to  own  the  propriety 
of  the  names.    The  matters  themselves  are  their 
aversion — to  such  a  degree  that  demonstration  is 
often  found  powerless  to  remove  it. 

My  great  object  here  is  to  evince  the  reality  of 
these  sacraments  in  general ;  that  they  are  impor- 
tant adjuncts  of  the  christian  religion,  as  it  came 
from  God,  as  it  still  is,  and  as  it  shall  be  to  the  end 
of  time  or  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  to  judge  the  world. 


510 


Friends  regard  them  as  vanities  of  no  warrant  or 
profit ;  as  traditionary  relics  of  Romanism  or  Juda- 
ism or  both,  which  it  becomes  all  christians  to  dis- 
esteem  and  deny.  They  often  speak  of  those  who 
are  better  instructed,  compassionating  the  earthli- 
ness  of  others — who  obey  God  in  the  sacraments  : 
these  are  thought  to  be  mere  children  and  dotards 
in  comparison  of  their  own  enlightened  superiority 
to  such  obsolete  or  barbarian  usages  :  and  they 
often  speak  of  the  wars  and  bloodshed  which  the 
sacraments  may  have  occasioned,  as  proofs  of  their 
evil  tendency  and  empty  character.  Many  speak 
of  them  with  levity  and  insult,  as  if  no  proof  could 
establish  their  claim  to  divine  authority  ;  so  evident 
is  their  absurdity  in  the  d  priori  radiance  of  the 
inward  light !  Our  grand  position  is,  God  is  their 
author,  as  the  scriptures  perfectly  aver :  if  we  can 
prove  this,  let  the  reader  judge  what  kind  of  mo- 
dern inspiration  it  is  that  contradicts,  and  that  with 
fanatical  self-complacency,  the  written  orders  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  !  Wretched  delusion  !  Presumptuous 
and  guilty  sanctimony  ! 

I  begin  with  christian  baptism.  This  sacrament 
may  be  defined  to  be,  a  typical  washing  of  the  body 
loith  water,  (I  suppose  neither  the  quantity,  nor  the 
mode  of  application,  to  be  at  all  essential ;  the  divine 
and  human  intention  being  the  main  concern,)  as  an 
act  of  appointed  worship,  devoting  the  subject  to  "  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;"  into  the  visible  profession,  worst  ip,  and  in- 
heritance, of  which  "  name,^''  the  party  is  thus  form- 
ally introduced ;  while  its  implication  is — the  moral 


511 


impurity  of  the  subject  that  requires  ablution ;  its 
siGNiFicANCY — the  salvatiOTi  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus, 
especially  that  moiety  of  it  which  is  termed  sanctif- 
cation. 

On  this,  and  its  twin  companion,  much  has  been 
and  might  be  written.  My  present  aim  however  is 
to  evince  their  reality  as  divine  institutions,  or  to 
show  why  I  thus  esteem  them  ;  and  in  doing  this, 
to  oppose  the  sentiment  of  Friends  that  spirituahzes 
and  refines  away  the  plain  import  of  scripture  re- 
specting them. 

I  argue  the  reality  of  baptism,  as  a  divine  institu- 
tion, from  its  high  antiquity  and  general  prevalence 
in  the  church ;  from  the  apostolic  and  ministerial 
commission ;  and  from  the  certain  practice  of  the 
apostles  and  primitive  preachers  of  the  gospel. 

1.  From  its  high  antiquity  and  general  prevalence 
in  the  church.  Long  before  the  corruptions  of  the 
papacy  began  to  add  its  heathen  honors  to  the  simple 
vesture  of  Christ,  acting  always  (as  is  the  immemo- 
rial course  of  superstition,)  on  the  principle  of  in- 
crease, baptism  was  notoriously  universal  in  the 
church,  and  received  as  an  apostolical  tradition  of 
the  pure  institute  of  God.  lihefact  none  will  deny. 
I  therefore  omit  proofs :  or  refer  for  them  to  the 
unanimous  voice  of  ancient  ecclesiastical  history. 

Now,  as  this  was  all  in  the  first  three  centuries  of 
the  christian  era,  so  was  it  anterior  to  the  hierarchy 
and  establishment  of  papal  Rome.  It  could  not 
therefore  have  been  a  degenerate  innovation  after 
the  apostles  "  fell  asleep,"  but  must  have  been  known 
and  approved  by  themselves.    Or,  if  it  were  a  cor- 


512 


rupt  innovation,  where  is  the  proof  of  this  \  How 
came  the  corruption  to  be  immediately  so  universaU 
what  trace  of  its  introduction?  who  introduced  it"? 
where  \  who  opposed,  or  did  none  oppose,  such 
childish  degeneracy"!    These  questions  are  of  more 
force,  when  we  consider  the  evidence  which  is  fur- 
nished in  the  New  Testament  in  favour  of  the 
inspired  apostolical  origin  of  baptism.  Whence, 
2.  The  commission,  given  by  Jesus  Christ  to  his 
apostles  and  to  their  successors  in  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel  to  the  end  of  time,  authorizes  it  as  a  divine 
institution.  Matt.  28 : 19,  20.  Mark,  16  :  15, 16.  It 
is  hard  to  prove  what  is  palpable  and  self-evident. 
It  is  so  plain  from  the  compared  and  concurrent  tes- 
timonies of  these  two  Evangelists,  and  that  in  the 
important  respect  of  the  ministerial  commission,  that 
it  seems  certain  that  no  unprejudiced  person,  who 
understands  especially  the  original,  and  is  of  mental 
force  sufficient  to  appreciate  evidence,  could  read 
and  study  both  passages  without  acknowledging 
their  conclusiveness.    "  Go  ye  therefore  and  teach 
[disciple,  (j.aQY}tevtsati\  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 
[into]  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you  :  and  lo, 
I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world.  Amen. — And  he  said  unto  them,  Go  ye  into 
all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture.   He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be 
saved  ;  but  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  datnned." 
On  these  passages  I  remark, 

(1)  That,  though  they  were  originally  given  to 


513 


apostles,  they  were  evidently  designed  for  all  suc- 
ceeding ages,  "even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 
They  therefore  comprise  the  only  true  preachers' 
commission  through  the  whole  dispensation.  Its 
power  to  bind  us  has  lost  nothing,  it  has  rather 
gained,  by  age. 

(2)  That  baptism  is  formally  included  (in  the  latter 
passage  by  necessary  implication,  in  the  former  by 
express  order,)  in  both  and  either  of  them.  The 
promise  of  salvation  is  not  made  to  him  that  be- 
lieveth  merely ;  the  words  and  is  baptized  are  ad- 
ded :  though  it  is  hard  to  see  how  a  true  believer, 
having  the  opportunity,  could  refuse  baptism. 

(3)  That  in  such  a  formal  instrument  as  the  com- 
mission of  the  Christian  ministry,  we  have  reason 
to  think  that  nothing  of  small  moment  would  be  in- 
serted :  but  baptism  is  inserted ;  while  the  general 
order  to  inculcate  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you 
covers  all  the  minor  matters  of  Christianity,  and  at 
the  same  time  more  palpably  includes  baptism. 
Whatsoever  Christ  has  '  commanded '  must  be  for  that 
reason  enforced  by  his  ministers.  It  is  the  best 
reason  in  the  universe.  What  matter  is  it  what 
Friends  and  others  choose  to  think  or  speak  ?  a  true 
minister  is  mainly  concerned  to  know  and  vindicate 
the  will  of  Christ.  How  any  person,  considering 
the  solemnity  and  perspicuity  of  this  instrument,  can 
disparage  baptism  and  deny  its  purely  divine  au- 
thority, appears  only  to  those  who  have  some  ac- 
quaintance with  the  facts  of  religious  frenzy  and 
with  the  darkness  and  infidelity  of  the  human  mind  ! 
The  fancy  of  one's  own  inspiredness  marvellously 

65 


514 


disqualifies  its  subject  for  all  sober  thought.  The 
illusions  of  religious  vision  shed  their  powerful 
pictures  on  all  the  objects  of  contact;  and  instan- 
taneously the  total  system  of  written  truth  assumes 
a  correspondent  hue.  But  the  spirit  of  sound  and 
rational  investigation  is  very  different  from  a  vision- 
ary inspiration. 

But  how  do  Friends  interpret  or  evade  this  order 
of  the  Highest  \  Answer — by  spiritualizing  in  spite 
of  evidence.  They  say  it  means  spiritual  baptism 
alone !  But  is  it  not  claimed  as  the  prerogative  of 
Jesus  Christ  alone  to  "  baptize  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  f  To  talk  of  delegating  this  power,  is  about 
as  wise  as  the  conceit  of  some  who,  to  rationalize 
away  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  suppose  that  the 
work  of  creation  was  delegated  to  a  creature.  But 
what  is  this  fancy  other  than  a  begging  of  the  ques- 
tion] That  there  is  such  a  thing  as  spiritual  bap- 
tism is  granted — for  otherwise  the  rite  could  have 
no  meaning  or  use  ;  that  it  is  greater  than  that  which 
is  merely  its  instituted  sign  is  also  foreign  to  the 
controversy  ;  and  that  God  is  wont  to  baptize  with 
his  grace  the  spiri-ts  of  men,  through  the  co-agency 
of  his  ministers,  is  equally  admitted  :  but  the  ques- 
tion is.  Has  he  appointed  a  visible  sign  of  this  and 

commanded^''  our  obedience  to  it?  We  affirm; 
they  deny.  Observe,  (1)  He  orders  them  to  do  it ; 
"  baptizing,"  as  preaching,  teaching,  &c.  (2)  Spi- 
ritual baptism  is  always  identified  in  substance  or 
effect  with  the  exercise  of  that  faith  which  is  "  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit"  and  to  which  the  promise  sal- 
vation is  made  :  why  then  the  tautology  of  saying 


515 


he  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved  ?  On 
our  view,  its  meaning  is  plain  and  fair:  he  that  be- 
lieveth and  submits  to  the  administration  of  baptisin, 
as  the  seal  and  sign  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  thus 
ivitnessing  a  good  confession,  shall  be  saved. 

But  hear  Friends.  "  There  is  no  baptism  to  con- 
tinue now,  but  the  one  baptism  of  Christ.  There- 
fore water  baptism  is  not  to  continue  now,  because 
it  is  not  the  one  baptism  of  Christ."  Barclay.  Was 
it  not  in  the  christian  commission  of  the  ministry, 
and  for  the  new  dispensation,  that  they  were  to  "  go 
into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature,  baptizing  them,"  Slc.X  Or  was  this  not 
christian  baptism  ?  or  could  they  baptize  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  1  or  if  both  they  and  Christ  were  to  bap- 
tize, where  then  is  the  "  one  baptism,"  about  which 
Barclay  reasons  so  jesuitically?  Jesuitism  itself! 

But  the  true  meaning  is  plain, 

3.  From  the  practice  of  the  apostles  and  primitive 
preachers  of  Christianity  under  that  same  commis- 
sion. None  but  an  infidel  can  doubt  that  the  inspired 
apostles  understood  this  fundamental  matter — their 
commission!  How  then  did  they  aci?  Look  at 
Peter  in  the  house  of  Cornelius,  urging  the  admi- 
nistration of  the  sign  on  the  express  ground  that  his 
hearers  had  received  the  substance  !  "  Can  any  man 
forbid  water,  that  these  should  not  be  baptized,  who 
have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we  V  He 
does  not  say  who  always  had  a  light  withiti ;  but 
"  who  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we  !" 
The  whole  phraseology  of  the  New  Testament  is 
plainly  at  war  with  that  prime  error  of  Friends.  If 


516 


the  apostles  had  believed  Friends'  doctrine,  they 
would  have  expressed  themselves  in  different  lan- 
guage— -foxian,  for  example.  "  And  he  commanded 
them  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Acts, 
10  :  47,  48.  Is  there  any  need  of  comment  or  could 
pi'oof  be  more  conclusive  1  Is  Quakerism  Christian- 
ity ?  Look  at  the  case  of  the  thousands  of  Pente- 
cost;  Acts,  2:41,  of  the  converts  at  Samaria;  8: 
12,  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch;  33,  of  Paul;  9:  18, 
of  Lydia  and  the  jailer  ;  16  : 15,  33.  and  others  re- 
corded in  the  book  of  the  practice  of  the  apostles, 
and  recorded  to  this  very  end,  that  we  might  com- 
pare actions  with  words,  and  so  ascertain  the  mind 
of  the  Holy  Ghost !  How  much  inward  light  and 
inspiration  must  be  requisite  to  convince  a  man  that 
water  baptism  is  not  a  divine  institution  ! 

If  it  be  said  Peter  misunderstood  the  ministerial 
commission,  in  thinking  that  the  gentiles  were  not 
included  ;  I  reply,  (1)  Peter  was  not  all  the  apostles; 
and  his  prejudice  as  a  jew  on  the  article  of  commu- 
nion with  the  uncircumcised,  though  common  to  his 
nation,  is  a  mere  exception  to  the  rule,  but  one  that 
was  not  lasting.  At  first  he  thought  as  a  jew.  It 
was  his  personal  infirmity,  his  private  imperfection. 
God  wrought  a  miracle  indeed  to  correct  it ;  but  his 
views  of  baptism  were  not  corrected,  for  he  baptized 
the  household  of  Cornelius  immediately  after  the 
miracle.  (2)  Paul  was  miraculously  converted,  was 
baptized  and  never  misunderstood  his  conimissiou 
in  any  thing  on  record.  He  also  practised  baptism; 
and  though  his  colleagues,  Silas,  Timothy,  Titus, 
Barnabas,  and   others,  most  probably  officiated 


517 


oftener  than  himself  in  the  rite  of  baptism,  yet  was 
it  done  in  his  presence  and  with  his  authority.  No 
miracle  was  ever  wrought  to  correct  the  administra- 
tion of  baptism  :  and  if  the  exception  (a  transient 
one)  confirms  the  rule,  it  is  true  that  the  apostles  did 
understand  their  commission.  Their  public  practice 
too  is  without  exception,  uniform,  decisive.  This 
was  especially  true  after  the  gospel  began  to  be 
preached  to  the  nations  by  universal  consent. 

Besides,  the  position,  to  which  we  now  refer,  re- 
spects the  inspiration  of  the  apostles  in  their  public 
administration.  This  indeed  is  the  only  proper  idea 
of  their  inspiration.  The  private  actions  and  words 
of  the  apostles  were  not  inspired.  Inspired  actions, 
that  abortion  of  moral  agency,  is  one  of  the  inven- 
tions of  the  religious  society.  They  were  inspired 
only  when  they  professed  inspiration  ;  only  when  au- 
thoritatively delivering,  by  word  or  writing,  the  will 
of  God  to  others,  or  when  they  received  it  for  their 
own  official  government.  Inspiration  did  not  re- 
move or  impair  their  personal  accountability  or  con- 
secrate all  their  individual  conduct;  but  where  they 
spake  or  wrote  professedly  the  will  of  God  to  bind 
the  consciences  of  others,  where  they  all  concurred 
in  the  measures  and  duties  of  his  worship,  and 
where  their  recorded  practice  under  the  high  seal  of 
heaven  proposes  to  illustrate  the  duties  of  men,  there 
the  position  is  in  its  place — plainly  none  but  an  infi- 
del can  doubt  that  the  inspired  apostles  understood 
this  fundamental  matter,  their  commission  ! 

Three  of  their  objections  I  will  here  consider ; 
premising  that  I  have  often  heard  them  urged  by 


518 


their  leaders  ;  that  they  are  the  strongest  with  whicl^"' 
I  am  acquainted  ;  and  that  properly  expounded  they  ' 
are  totally  against  themselves.    They  are  all  texts 
of  scripture. 

Objection  1.  "  The  like  figure,"  &c.  1  Pet.  3  :  21. 
From  this  they  infer  that  water  baptism  is  not  meant ; 
that  "  a  good  conscience"  is  all ;  and  that  this  they 
can  have  in  perfection  while  they  entirely  omit  the 
"  figure." 

Without  circumlocution  I  will  give  what /am  sz<rc 
is  the  plain  and  proper  meaning  of  this  passage,  in 
a  paraphrase  ;  adverting  to  its  connection  with  the 
preceding  verses:  As  eight  persons  were  saved  in 
the  ark,  when  the  whole  world  perished  by  the  just 
judgment  of  God  ;  so  now,  those  who  duly  submit 
to  the  ordinance  of  baptism  find  that  to  he  figura- 
tively an  ark  of  safety  to  them  :  not  that  the  mere 
mechanical  action  which  removes  "  the  filth  of  the 
flesh,"  or  mere  symbolical  washing,  comprehends 
the  important  matter  ;  the  substance  must  ever  ac- 
company or  rather  precede  the  sign,  in  order  to  its 
salvation:  but  how  could  we  feel  safe  were  we  to 
neglect  it  \  how  could  we  possess  "  the  answer  of  a 
good  conscience  toward  God  "  if  we  were  to  omit 
what  HE  hath  commanded  I  In  order  to  be  assured 
of  his  favor,  we  are  ever  to  icalk  in  all  the  command- 
ments and  ordinances  of  the  Lord,  blameless :  Luke, 
1  :  6,  for  "  a  good  conscience  toward  God "  is 
always  the  concomitant  and  consequence  of  uni- 
versal obedience. 

This  "  figure  "  gives  a  terrible  implication  against 
the  hopes  of  those  who  neglect  baptism.    It  is  the 


519 


"ark"  in  which  the  church  is  saved  ;  while  a  worse 
dehige  than  that  of  the  days  of  Noah  awaits  the 
souls  of  them  that  contemn  God,  and  who  yet  boast 
of  their  "  good  conscience  "  while  they  deny  HIS 
ordinances  !  Many  a  poor  dupe  of  the  light  within 
has  vaunted  his  mistake  (and  now  continues  to  do 
it)  as  if  it  were  his  piety :  and  boasted  or  believed 
in  "a  good  conscience"  as  his  own,  while  he 
refused  the  very  thing  to  which  the  passage  refers 
as  constituting  it. 

In  proof  of  the  validity  of  the  exposition,  let  it  be 
remembered  (1)  generally,  that  Christianity  and 
truth  are  always  self-consistent ;  (2)  that  this  Peter 
is  the  same  who  officiated  in  the  house  of  Cornelius, 
and  who  thus  called  to  the  thousands  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost ;  "  Repent  and  he  baptized  every  one 
OF  YOU  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost."  Besides,  the  drift  of  the  context  ob- 
viously requires  this  interpretation. 

Objection  2.  "I  thank  God  that  I  baptized  none 
of  you,  but  Crispus  and  Gaius ;  lest  any  should 
say  that  I  had  baptized  in  (into)  mine  own  name. 
And  I  baptized  also  the  household  of  Stephanas  ; 
besides,  I  know  not  whether  I  baptized  any  other. 
For  Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize  ;  but  to  preach 
the  gospel."  1  Cor.  1  :  14-17.  From  this  they  ga- 
ther that  baptism  is  at  best  a  small  affair;  that  it 
was  no  part  of  Paul's  proper  office  to  perform  it ; 
and  that  it  can  be  no  very  culpable  matter  for  them 
wholly  to  dispense  with  it.    To  which  I  reply — 

(1)  That  this  is  wholly  changing  their  ground  ; 


520 


it  is  a  fair  concession  of  the  fact  that  the  rite  was 
practised  by  the  apostles  of  God  :  for  if  spiritual 
baptism  be  all,  then  this  is  meant ;  and  if  so,  are 
Friends  to  be  seen  disparaging  its  importance! 
Paul  must  have  meant  the  rite,  and  not  that  signi- 
fied by  it — or,  he  regretted  the  salvation  of  men  ! 

(2)  There  is  no  such  thing  in  the  passage  as  any 
disparagement  of  the  rite.  Paul  does  not  say  that 
it  was  not  his  proper  business  ;  for  then  why  did  he 
baptize  at  all  \  Did  he  perform  what  was  improper 
and  wrong  1  If  his  had  been  the  notion  of  Friends, 
would  he  have  baptized  Crispus,  and  Gaius,  and 
Stephanas  and  his  household  1  He  does  indeed  say 
that  it  was  not  his  principal  business  or  the  duty 
most  appropriate  to  his  office  as  the  Apostle  of  the 
nations.  But  is  this  depreciating  or  impeaching  bap- 
tism as  a  divine  ordinance"!  Far  from  it.  See  him 
at  Ephesus,  Acts,  19  :  1-7,  imposing  christian  bap- 
tism upon  twelve  of  John's  disciples  : — who  had 
been  before  baptized  by  the  Baptist ;  as  1  must  be- 
lieve, notwithstanding  the  show  of  venerable  names, 
(and  nothing  else,)  in  favor  of  a  different  view.  But 
the  church  was  divided  into  parties ;  and  some  (we 
may  guess  who)  piqued  themselves  not  a  little  on 
their  conversion  under  the  ministry  of  Paul,  and  es- 
pecially that  they  had  received  their  baptism  at  his 
hands.  By  the  way,  they  valued  baptism  and  asso- 
ciated it  with  their  conversion  to  God  !  Paul  then 
rejoiced  in  the  circumstance  that  he  had  baptized 
very  few  of  them,  "  lest  any  should  say  that  he"  was 
accessary  to  their  partizanships.  But  did  he  assert 
or  imply  that  the  others  were  not  baptized "?  or  that 


521 


God  was  about  to  abolish  the  ordinance  !  or  that  he 
had  not  baptized  thousands  of  other  persons,  in  dif- 
ferent places,  with  his  own  hand,  or  caused  still 
greater  nnmbers  to  be  baptized  by  his  associates  in 
the  ministry  1.  O  the  darkness  of  a  certain  light! 

That  baptism  ought  to  be  performed  only  by  a 
regular  minister  of  Christ,  and  not  by  any  other 
person,  we  infer  from  the  obvious  propriety  of  the 
case ;  from  immemorial  usage ;  from  the  evils  and 
disorders  incident  to  an  opposite  practice ;  from  the 
fact  that  it  is  contained  in  the  ministerial  commis- 
sion ;  and  from  the  total  absence  of  all  example  or 
authority  in  the  New  Testament  for  its  administra- 
tion but  by  a  public  minister  of  Christ.  We  there- 
fore deny  totally  the  validity  of  lay  baptism.  This 
is  a  troublesome  consideration  to  Fricndism !  Those 
whose  characteristic  it  is  to  deny  the  distinct  order 
of  the  evangelical  ministry,  would  be  slow  to  ac- 
credit a  divine  ordinance  (not  to  speak  of  many 
others)  which  ministers,  and  men  only,  can  compe- 
tently perform  !  This  is  the  fountain  of  their  in- 
spiration on  several  articles.  Their  dislike  of  the 
clergy  is  unfeigned,  conscientious,  pervading  :  their 
'phobia  on  this  topic  (I  might  say — hydrophobia)  is 
wonderful !  Hence  a  total  retrenchment  of  what- 
ever seems  to  sanction  or  require  them.  Their 
reforming  was  radical  and  their  revolutionizing  en- 
tire !  They  have  retrenched  the  commission  itself, 
as  antiquated  and  lifeless  ;  always  taking  out  a  new 
one  for  every  special  piece  of  service  they  perform  : 
I  think  however  it  is  just  as  vain  and  sanctionless 
as  any  other  ''sparks  which  they  have  kindled." 

66 


522 


3.  I  come  now  to  another  argument  or  Objection 
of  theirs,  taken,  very  confidently,  from  Matt.  3  : 
13-15.  "  Then  cometh  Jesus  from  Galilee  to  Jor- 
dan unto  John,  to  be  baptized  of  him.  But  John 
forbade  him,  saying,  I  have  need  to  be  baptized  of 
thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me  \  And  Jesus,  answer- 
ing, said  unto  him,  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now  :  for  thus 
it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness.  Then  he 
suffered  him."  They  say  in  substance  this  :  Christ 
suffered  it  then,  because  of  the  ignorance  and  blind- 
ness of  the  people,  who  were  addicted  to  the  cere- 
monial of  the  Jews  and  the  impositions  of  the  rab- 
bins, and  who  could  not  have  brooked  the  introduc- 
tion all  at  once  of  a  system  of  total  spirituality.  It 
was  then  a  merciful  compliance  with  their  weak- 
ness ;  but  noiD  it  is  no  longer  to  be  "suffered."  The 
substance  has  come  ;  the  shadows  and  symbols  re- 
tire.   I  answer, 

(])  It  was  not  dimne  inspiration  that  dictated 
such  a  miserable  gloss.  Hear  it  from  their  prince 
of  the  Apology,  a  very  chandelier  of  illuminations 
for  the  whole  church  to  see  by  : 

"  It  will  not  thence  follow  that  christians  ought  to 
do  so  now  ;  and  therefore  Christ,  Matt.  3  :  15,  gives 
John  this  reason  of  his  being  baptized,  desiring  him 
to  suffer  it  to  he  so  note ;  whereby  he  sufliciently  in- 
timates that  he  intended  not  thereby  to  perpetuate 
it  as  an  ordinance  to  his  disciples."  Inspired!  I 
deny  that  it  "sufficiently"  or  at  aU'int'imates  any 
such  thing.  Wo  be  to  him  "  that  loveth  or  maketh 
a  lie  !"  This  is  only  another  instance — one  of  mil- 
lions, where  a  certain  light  perverts  evidence  and 


523 


sanctions  mistake !    It  is  another  demonstration 
against  Quaiierism  :  for  inspiration  is  their  basis ; 
but  inspiration,  when  genuine,  is  infaUible  ;  a  mis- 
take therefore  subverts  the  basis,  by  evincing  that 
it  is  not  of  God,  but  an  illusion  of  men.  Whatever 
clemency  is  due  to  the  mistakes  of  men,  who  ac- 
knowledge their  fallibility  and  profess  their  sub- 
jection to  the  ordinary  laws  of  mind,  noyie  ought  to 
be  granted  or  claimed  in  the  case  of  those  who 
boast  of  plenary  inspiration  from  God,  just  such  as 
that  of  the  apostles  :  for,  if  their  main  position  be 
true,  they  need  no  clemency — it  is  insolence  to  offer 
it !    This  sing-song  of  Barclay  is  often  re-echoed 
in  their  meetings.    I  well  remember  to  have  wit- 
nessed, and  often  to  have  felt,  the  incantation,  thus  : 
Jesus  suffered  it  to  be  so  then.   And  even  now,  my 
dearly  beloved,  must  we  forbear  with  those  who  are 
in  the  outward  and  who  practise  it  in  this  day  when 
the  true  light  shineth.    Alas  !  they  are  in  shadows 
indeed.    They  see  not  where  is  the  life,  the  liberty, 
the  power  !    But  blessed  are  your  eyes  for  they  see, 
and  your  ears  for  they  hear  ! 

Need  I  characterize  the  perversion  !  Blessed  be 
the  ears  that  hear  such  cheap  inspiration,  and  rare 
spirituality. 

They  have  totally  mistaken  the  facts  of  the  case. 
When  Christ  says,  "  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now,"  he 
does  not  by  it  mean  the  ordinance  itself,  for  that  was 
no  part  of  the  noble  dispute  ;  but  he  means  the 
anomaly  of  the  master  being  baptized  by  the  ser- 
vant !  A  grammatical  conscience  ought  more 
shrewdly  to  have  scanned  the  antecedent  of  "it;" 


524 


which  is  palpably  not  baptism;  but  the  totally  un- 
paralleled relative  incongruity  of  its  administration 
in  that  wonderful  instance.  "  Without  all  contra- 
diction the  less  is  blessed  of  the  better  ;"  and  the 
implication  is  the  same  in  the  action  of  baptism. 
John  was  too  humble  and  too  sensible  to  bear  the 
implication,  without  a  proper  confession  of  his  in- 
feriority. Hence  "  John  forbade  him,  saying,  I  have 
need  to  be  baptized  of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to 
me  ]"  But  afterward  "  he  suffered  him,"  and  Je- 
sus was  baptized  of  John  in  Jordan.  Thus  the 
Avhole  view  of  Friends  is  fundamentally  false.  It 
is  founded  on  a  total  perversion  of  the  monosyllable 
it  in  the  sentence.  They  assume  that  it  means  the 
ordinance  itself;  and  not  the  passing  paradox  of  its 
administration,  that  never  before  or  since  had  its 
counterpart,  of  a  sinful  man  administering  a  reli- 
gious and  official  qualification  to  the  sinless  and 
only-begotten  Son  of  God  !  How  great  the  humili- 
ty of  John  ;  how  much  greater  the  humiliation  of  his 
Lord,  "  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  he  was  not 
worthy  to  unloose  !" 

0  thou  glorious  Mediator  ! 
Who  thy  pattern  would  desert  ? 

Who  is  purer,  better,  greater, 
Or  in  wisdom  more  expert  ? 

1  will  follow  thee,  my  Leader! 
Glorying  only  in  thy  cross  ; 

Thou  my  all-sufficient  Pleader, 
Having  thee  I  feel  no  loss  ! 


(2)  The  reason  which  the  Savior  assigns  silenced 


525 


the  scruples  of  the  Baptist,  and  ought  foreveu  to 
silence  the  reasoning  of  Friends  ;  "  Suflfer  it  to  be 
so  now ;  for  thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all 
RIGHTEOUSNESS."  This  sentence  is  worthy  to  be 
printed  on  the  heavens  in  capitals  of  gold  !  Its 
applicability  is  illimitable.  It  applies  to  all  persons, 
at  all  times,  and  for  all  dnties.  It  includes  all  the 
objects  and  subjects  of  religion.  It  comes  from  the 
lips  of  our  glorious  Lord,  and  enforced  by  his  own 
illustrious  example  in  the  most  expressive  circum- 
stances. Observe,  ^rs^,  his  motive  in  the  transaction. 
It  was  to  fulfil  a  branch  of  "  righteousness."  Bap- 
tism was  a  divine  ordinance ;  and  as  such  obligatory 
on  every  worshipper  of  God,  on  every  man.  Jesus 
Christ  was  a  man.  He  had  been  "  made  of  a  woman, 
made  under  the  law,"  and  as  such  was  absolutely 
obligated  to  obey  it,  as  he  did,  in  perfection.  It 
would  have  been  a  dreadful  defect  in  his  character 
to  have  omitted  that  (as  he  omitted  no  other)  branch 
of  righteousness.  He  could  have  had  no  other 
motive  than  to  honor  his  Father  in  all  the  ways  of 
his  appointment.  He  had  no  sin  to  wash  away  ; 
no  personal  fitness  to  the  rite  as  to  its  implication — 
the  impurity  of  the  subject:  but  he  had  duties  to 
perform,  and  a  perfect  example  to  complete  for  liis 
followers.  He  speaks  of  thc7n,  in  delightful  asso- 
ciation with  himself,  when  he  says,  "  thus  it  be- 
cometh us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness  ;''  to  do  any 
thing  and  every  thing  whatsoever  God  has  ap- 
pointed! Hence  the  prodigies  of  divine  approbation 
that  followed  his  baptism.  "And  lo,  the  heavens 
were  opened  unto  him,  and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of 


526 


God  descending  like  a  dove,  and  lighting  upon  him  : 
and  lo,  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  This  is  my  be- 
loved Son,  in  w^hom  I  am  well  pleased."  Observe, 
second,  that  he  had  not  then  commenced,  but  veas 
soon  to  commence,  his  public  career  as  a  preacher 
and  minister  of  religion.  He  was  just  then  emerg  - 
ing into  publicity,  being  "about  thirty  years  of  age." 
Hence  the  scene  of  his  baptism  has  been  styled  that 
of  his  inauguration  or  formal  introduction  to  office. 
Still,  he  was  a  private  character  when  he  was  bap- 
tized— as  all  others  are.  Observe,  third,  how  sedu- 
lous he  was  to  receive  baptism.  He  came  incognito 
from  Galilee  to  John,  a  distance  of  nearly  100  miles, 
to  receive  it;  and  then  insisted  on  its  performance. 
Observe,  fourth,  that  the  principle  was  old,  though 
its  application  was  then  peculiar,  in  his  practice. 
He  was  circumcised ;  he  attended  the  passover ; 
obeyed  his  parents  ;  wrought  at  an  humble  trade  ; 
inhabited  an  obscure  and  disreputable  village  ; 
waited  patiently  and  unknown  till  the  lawful  age ; 
celebrated  the  passover,  and  instituted  its  counter- 
part, the  very  night  before  he  suffered  ;  and  in  all 
"  left  us  an  example  that  we  should  follow  his 
steps ;  who  did  no  sin."  Observe,  ffth,  the  force 
of  the  sentiment  that  thus  "  it  becomes  us  "  to  do ! 
It  is  proper,  obligatory,  honorable,  necessary !  It 
every  way  becomes  us  !  How  unbecoming  then  for 
us  to  keep  an  inward  light  that  contradicts  both 
his  example  and  his  commandment  !  We  may  do 
other  things  innumerable.  We  may  do  them  scru- 
pulously and  in  vain.  It  is  no  part  of  "  all  righ 
teousness"  unless  divinely  commanded.    It  is  dire- 


627 


fill  to  have  our  wisdom  in  collision  with  the  wis- 
dom of  God.  We  never  can  compensate  for  ne- 
glect or  violation  of  positive  duties  by  a  multitudi- 
nous observance  of  other  matters.  Poor  King  Saul 
tried  this  sort  of  piety  to  his  sorrow  on  more  than 
one  occasion.  "And  Samuel  said,  Hath  the  Lord 
as  great  delight  in  burnt-ofte rings  and  sacrifices  as 
in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord  \  Behold,  to  obey 
is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken,  than  the  fat 
of  rams.  For  rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft ; 
and  stubbornness  is  as  iniquity  and  idolatry.  Be- 
cause thou  hast  rejected  the  word  of  the  Lord,  he 
hath  also  rejected  thee  from  being  king."  Again, 
not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me  Lord,  Lord, 
shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  he 

THAT  DOETH  THE  WILL  OF  MY  FaTHER  who  is  in 

heaven.  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I 
command  you." 

Other  objections  of  Friends  to  the  ordinances  of 
God,  I  am  little  careful  to  answer.  But,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  subjects  and  the  mode  of  baptism,  I 
have  only  to  say  that  it  will  be  time  enough  to  dis- 
cuss them  when  they  cease  to  deny  the  rite  itself. 
It  were  frivolous  to  investigate  how  or  to  whom  a 
service  is  to  be  performed,  while  we  doubt  or  de- 
ny that  it  is  to  be  performed  at  all.  Let  Friends 
acknowledge  the  fact  ;  and  then  we  will  attend 
to  their  subordinate  queries.  The  same  may  be 
said  in  regard  to  the  uses  of  baptism.  "  What  good 
does  it  do  thee?"  is  a  very  common  question  with 
them.  It  is  very  much  like  the  question  often  put 
in  respect  to  "  the  forbidden  fruit,"  What  harm 


528 


could  it  do  for  Eve  to  eat  an  apple  ?  The  divine 
sanction  is  every  thing.  To  honor  it  has  a  vital 
connection  with  good,  and  to  dishonor  it,  with  harm. 
I  sincerely  pity  the  men  who  must  wait  for  eternity 
to  convince  them  of  this  !  I  add,  the  utihty  of  any 
measure  or  observance  in  rehgion  is  not,  as  such, 
our  first  question  respecting  it ;  but  this,  Is  it  the 
pleasure  of  God  ?  To  question  the  excellency  of 
a  divine  enactment  is  absurdity,  equalled  only  by 
its  impiety.  Suppose  Abraham  had  doubted  and 
hesitated  when  ordered  to  forsake  his  country,  his 
paternal  mansions,  and  all  the  peerless  charities  of 
Jiome,  because  the  utilit?/  of  the  mandate  did  not 
appear  to  him  !  Suppose  he  had  preferred  his  own 
eye-sight  in  the  matter  of  sacrificing  Isaac,  and  had 
plausibly  and  naturally  enough  questioned  its  ex- 
pediency and  uses !  Would  he  ever  have  been 
called  "  the  Father  of  the  faithful  and  the  Friend  of 
God  r'  To  be  such  a  Friend,  is  worthy  the  ambi- 
tion of  immortals  and  the  competition  of  mankind. 

"  By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  called  to  go  out 
into  a  place  which  he  should  after  receive  for  an 
inheritance,  obeyed;  and  he  went  out,  not  knowing 
whither  he  went.  By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was 
tried,  offered  up  Isaac  :  and  he  that  had  received  the 
promises  offered  up  his  only-begotten  son,  of  whom 
it  was  said,  that  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called  : 
accounting  that  God  was  able  to  raise  him  up,  even 
from  the  dead  ;  from  whence  also  he  received  him 
in  a  figure."  The  utilities  of  baptism  however  are 
not  inscrutable,  not  paradoxical  or  severely  trying  to 
our  faith  ;  though  it  is  no  part  of  my  present  pur- 


529 


pose  to  discuss  them.    To  be  publicly  devoted  to 
God  according  to  his  own  appointment ;  to  have 
"  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God  " 
by  duly  respecting  his  own  appointed  signals  of 
alliance  with  himself;  to  feel  that  we  have  been 
typically  washed  according  to  his  own  order,  and  at 
the  same  time  sensibly  admonished  of  our  natural 
defilement — of  the  purity  of  God — of  his  purifying 
grace — of  "  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  re- 
newing of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  which  is  the  great 
archetype  of  baptism — of  the  conservative  "  ark  " 
into  which  baptism  symbolically  places  us — and  of 
the  obligations  and  solemn  commitment  to  holiness 
of  life  which  baptism  implies ;  and  to  understand 
and  appreciate  the  import  of  being  baptismally  allied 
"  to  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  in  duty,  profession,  worship, 
covenant  and  hope,  are  a  few  of  the  intelligible 
advantages  of  this  branch  of  "righteousness :"  and 
however  baptism,  in  common  with  every  other  item 
of  Christianity,  may  be  or  has  been  abused,  per- 
verted, mistaken,  dishonored,  prostituted,  or  igno- 
rantly  observed,  by  professors  of  religion,  its  utilities, 
like  its  authority,  are  wholly  independent  of  the 
actions  of  men  and  entirely  resolvable  into  the  con- 
stitution of  God.   If  it  be  demanded  whether  grace 
is  conferred  or  only  signified  by  this  sacrament ;  I 
answer,  both  !  not  indeed  that  grace  is  necessarily 
conferred  by  the  sign  or  always  accompanies  it ; 
because,  as  in  the  case  of  Simon  Magus,  it  is  not 
always  sincerely  received.    But  this  is  true  of  every 
otf^er  conceivable  institution  of  God !  Whatis  j^mycr, 

67 


530 


when  not  sincerely  used  ^  Shall  we  then  say  that 
grace  is  not  conferred  and  received  by  prayer  ^  or 
reading  the  scriptures  1  or  performing  any  other 
duty?  In  all  these  cases,  grace  is  not  necessarily 
connected  with  the  service  ;  it  is  not  mechanically 
connected ;  it  is  not  found  ex  opere  operato^°  with  the 
mere  performance.  Shall  we  then,  through  an  ultra 
spirituality,  renounce  the  total  service  of  God  ]  We 
must  do  this,  or  remain  inconsistent  and  wrong  in 
the  rejection  of  divine  ordinances  in  general,  or  that 
solemnly  commissioned  one  of  baptism  in  particu- 
lar.   For  thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all 

RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Barclay  devotes  nearly  40  pages  to  the  treat- 
ment of  baptism  ;  and  it  would  require  400  fully  to 
notice  all  the  sophistry  of  his  argument.  When  I 
read  him  on  the  sacraments,  I  confess  that  I  am  led 
to  doubt  whether  he  himself  believed  what  he 
wrote:  though  upon  reflection,  I  am  unwilling  to 
deny  his  sincerity.  If  the  positive  evidence  alrea- 
dy adduced  will  not  convince  the  reader  of  his  per- 
version, I  leave  him  to  his  responsibility ;  only  ob- 
serving that  positive  evidence  has  not  been  exhaust- 
ed. I  have  only  given  a  few  items  of  proof,  des- 
pairing of  conviction  where  these  fail  to  produce  it ; 
and  remembering  that  truth  is  independent  of  the 
stupidity  of  men. 

One  argument  of  Barclay  deserves  some  sepa- 
rate notice.  It  is  fundamental  in  his  reasoning,  and 
very  plausibly  treated.  The  text  of  Ephesians,  4  :  5, 
"  There  is  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,"  sug- 
gests his  position  that  there  is  only  "  one  baptism  ;" 


531 


hence  he  would  hang  us  all  on  some  horn  of  a  di- 
lemma which  he  constructs  for  the  purpose.  He 
would  have  us  admit  from  our  view — as  he  states 
it — that  water  baptism  is  that  only  "one,"  and  that 
hence  there  is  no  such  thing  as  spiritual  influence 
or  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  that  is,  if  we 
hold  to  the  instituted  sign  we  must  mistake  it  for 
the  thing  signified  ;  or  if  we  hold  to  the  signal,  di- 
vinely appointed,  we  must  necessarily  forego  or  deny 
the  substance.  This  is  strange  reasoning  ;  and  (if 
I  can  understand  the  drift  apart  from  the  drapery  or 
the  disguise  of  his  argument)  it  is  just  that  which  he 
employs.  He  assumes  that  there  is  no  connection 
between  the  sign  and  the  substance,  but  rather  a 
contrariety  ;  so  that  both  cannot  hy  possibility  co- 
exist and  mutually  aid  each  other ;  and  so  that,  the 
things  being  mortally  repugnant  and  opposite,  aa 
well  as  distinct,  he  who  "  holds  to  the  one  "  must 
of  necessity  "  despise  the  other  :"  he  assumes  vir- 
tually that  God  and  mammon  "  might  as  easily 
and  compatibly  be  both  at  once  pursued  by  men,  as 
water  baptism  and  spiritual  baptism  be  both  at  once 
believed  by  them  ;  and  hence  we  are  called  to  take 
sides  with  Friends  against  the  ordinance,  or  against 
God  with  the  inimical  sign.  Any  one  that  wishes 
to  see  and  feel  the  force  of  his  argument  is  advised 
to  commence  with  believing  that  all  signs  are  mar- 
vellously at  war  with  all  their  corresponding  sub- 
stances, all  types  with  their  archetypes,  and  all 
words  with  the  sense  conveyed  by  them.  They  will 
then  believe,  by  parity  or  consequence,  that  if  a 
man  hangs  out  on  his  vesture  the  signals  cap-a-pie 


532 


of  honesty,  soberness,  and  religion  ;  he  must  be  the 
certain  enemy  of  all  these  excellencies  :  and  also  that 
all  the  divine  hieroglyphics  of  preceding  ages  were 
direfuUy  inimical  to  "  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cruci- 
fied," whom  they  were  all  designed  to  adumbrate 
and  in  whom  their  rays  all  converged  for  their  ac- 
complishment. Hear  Barclay.  "  As  for  the  first, 
viz.  That  there  is  hut  one  baptism,  there  needs  no 
other  proof  than  the  words  of  the  text,  Eph.  4  :  5^ 
One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism  :  where  the  apos- 
tle positively  and  plainly  affirms,  that  as  there  is  but 
one  body,  one  spirit,  one  faith,  one  God,  (fee.  so 
there  is  but  one  baptism."  I  answer,  the  apostle 
"affirms"  no  such  thing  ;  he  does  not  say  but  one» 
He  only  asserts  its  unity.  But  what  is  unity  X  Al- 
most every  subject  is  one  in  some  respects,  and  not 
in  others.  A  man  is  an  animal  and  a  spirit,  one  in 
person,  more  than  one  in  nature  and  composition. 
Jesus  Christ  is  one  person  and  only  one  :  bur,  he  has 
two  EQUALLY  appropriate  natures,  as  "  the  man 
Christ  Jesus,"  and  as  "  God  over  all  blessed  for- 
ever." 1  Tim.  2  :  5.  Rom.  9.  Thus,  we  have 
"  one  Lord,"  who  is  both  human  and  divine.  Sup- 
pose I  should  follow  Barclay's  reasoning  in  respect 
to  this  article,  which  the  apostle  affirms  in  the  same 
place,  thus  :  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord  and  we  have  but 
"one  Lord,"  therefore  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  but 
one  ;  but  if  he  is  man  proper  and  God  proper  he  is 
not  but  one,  and  hence  not  the  Lord :  therefore  he 
is  God  only  and  not  man,  and  those  who  hold  his 
humanity  oppose  his  deity  !  Thus,  in  reference  to 
baptism,  it  is  "  one  " — and  hence  there  is  no  such 


533 


thing  as  water  baptism  ;  and  "  there  needs  no  other 
proof,"  as  "  the  apostle  positively  and  plainly  af- 
firms "  the  premises,  "  one  baptism !" 

The  apostle  in  the  connection  is  enforcing  union 
among  the  christians  of  Ephesus :  "  endeavoring  to 
keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace." 
To  this  end,  he  tells  them  of  the  oneness  of  their 
baptism  and  of  other  unities,  which  all  inspire  one- 
ness of  sentiment  and  feeling :  by  which  I  under- 
stand that  as  they  were  baptized  into  one  incommu- 
nicable NAME,  and  not  into  different  names  of  wor- 
ship, they  were  hence  baptismally  obligated  to 
union  in  all  things,  universally  honoring  "the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Baptism  is  evidently  characterized  from 
the  name  into  which  we  are  introduced  by  it  ;  "  were 
ye  baptized  into  the  name  of  Paul  l — Lest  any 
should  say  that  I  had  baptized  into  mine  own  name. 
When  they  heard  this,  they  were  baptized  into  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  Acts,  19  :  5.  As  baptism 
introduced  converts,  as  it  respects  its  proper  import, 
their  own  profession,  their  worship,  and  obligations, 
into  one  name  ;  so  it  was  one  cause  that  it  subserv- 
ed and  owned,  and  so  the  apostle  here  refers  pri- 
marily to  the  rite  of  baptism  as  connected  with  the 
name  of  "  the  only  wise  God'''  and  the  obligations 
of  all  true  worshippers.  Here  is  moral  unity  ;  one 
household,  one  brotherhood  ! — a  community  to 
which  "Friends"  do  not  visibly  belong! 

Barclay  and  other  Friends  generally  beg  and 
push  the  question  by  reason  of  their  assumptions  at 
starting.    Hence  they  bring  the  incautious  into 


534 


their  dogmas  with  marvellous  plausibility  and  with 
a  great  display  of  logical  fairness.  One  instance  of 
this  is  the  assumption  that  the  primary  meaning  of 
a  word  is  always  one  with  its  most  important 
meaning.  But  it  often  happens  that  the  secondary 
meaning  of  a  word,  as  baptism,  is  at  once  its  most 
important  and  its  least  frequent  sense  in  scripture. 
Like  circumcision,  its  primary  meaning  is  the  sign 
only  ;  its  more  important  is  its  secondary  sense, 
and  refers  to  the  heart  and  its  purification.  The 
phrase  "  The  sure  mercies  of  David  "  is  also  an 
example.  Its  secondary  sense,  referring  to  Christ, 
is  the  important  one  !  Thus,  the  primary  sense  of 
baptism  respects  the  rite  only  ;  it  is  used  however 
for  its  archetype  by  a  very  fair  metonomy,  without 
merging  its  existence  or  its  distinctness  in  its  great- 
er. But  Friends  begin  with  the  secondary  mean- 
ing, and  hence  try  to  do  away  with  the  primary  ; 
they  think  they  seize  the  substance,  and  then  they 
deny  the  entity  of  the  sign.  Let  the  candid  judge  ! 
Because  they  see  us  contending  for  the  sign,  they 
often  infer  that  we  oppose  the  substance  ;  they 
often  say, '  if  they  had  the  experience  of  the  matter, 
they  would  care  less  for  externals  :' — which  might 
he  true,  and  yet  externals  be  of  divine  authority. 
We  say,  they  are  of  divine  authority ;  and  therefore 
mainly  do  we,  from  conscience  toward  God,  main- 
tain them. 

There  is  a  meaning  in  the  rite  baptismal,  in  its 
relations  and  implications,  which  is  justly  dear  to 
the  enlightened  sensibilities  of  the  christian.  It  is 
peculiar  too — and  little,  it  may  be,  understood  even 


535 


by  the  church  and  the  ministry.  God  has  a  visible 
family  in  the  world,  in  which  he  regards  his  people 
"  and  their  offspring  with  them,"  as  "  the  seed  of 
the  blessed  of  the  Lord."  Is.  59  :  20,  21.  Their 
relation  to  Him,  and  correlatively  his  to  them,  is 
most  wonderful,  gracious,  and  full  of  moment. 
Baptism  does  not  make  it.  It  pre-exists  in  the 
economy  of  gracious  administration.  Baptism  finds 
it,  owns  it,  illustrates,  seals  it.  It  is  instituted  in 
the  order  and  offices  of  the  church  visible  of  Jesus 
Christ  by  his  own  most  gracious  appointment,  in 
subserviency  to  the  triumph  of  his  mercy  and  "  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit."  It  exists  "  that  the  residue  of 
men  might  seek  after  the  Lord,  and  all  the  gentiles 
UPON  WHOM  MY  NAME  IS  CALLED  ;  saith  the  Lord, 
who  doeth  all  these  things."  Acts,  15  :  17.  It  is 
in  baptism  appropriately  that  "  this  glorious  and 
fearful  name  THE  LORD  THY  GOD,"  is  called 
upon  the  members  of  his  visible  family.  This  re- 
cognises the  family  relation.  He  who  adopts  them, 
as  their  Father,  communicates  his  own  name  of 
glory  and  supersedes  their  former  names  of  shame. 
Is.  44  :  1-5. 

Hence  the  proper  form  of  the  action  should  be, 
"  Baptizing  them  into  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  reasons  of 
this,  as  contra-distinguished  from  the  method  of  our 
translation  and  of  current  usage,  I  will  briefly  state. 

1.  The  common  phrase  in  the  name  of  means 
merely  hy  authority  of.  There  is  not  so  evident  a 
propriety  in  expressing  and  repeating  this  in  every 
instance  of  the  performance,  which  is  sufficiently 


536 


implied  and  proved  without  it.  It  is  plainly  done 
by  divine  authority. 

2.  Where  the  sense  of  the  phrase  in  the  name  of 
is  found,  there  the  original  ev  ro  ovofxati  is  different. 
Acts,  3  :  6.  1  Cor.  5:4. 

3.  In  this  sense  something  ultimate,  not  mediate, 
is  meant.  If  baptism  wrought  salvation,  as  infalli- 
bly as  a  miracle  accomplished  a  cure,  it  would  be 
ultimate  ;  and  the  propriety  of  saying,  I  do  this  ef- 
fectual thing  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  would  be 
sensible.  But  baptism  is  not  ultimate.  It  is  me- 
diate, initiatory,  symbolical  alone.  The  phrase  in 
question  then  is  not  pertinent.  It  is  calculated  to 
misrepresent  the  purport  of  the  ordinance.  It  im- 
plies that  the  rite  is  ultimate  and  virtual.  Again, 

4.  The  proper  grammar  of  the  original  eig  to 
ovofxa  requires  a  different  phrase  ;  as,  to,  unto,  or 
into.  It  refers  to  the  family  designation.  When 
one  is  adopted  into  the  household  of  another,  the 
name  of  the  family  is  assumed.  The  adopting  act 
confers  it ;  the  adopting  ceremony  signifies  or  de- 
clares it.  Hence  we  are  adopted  and  baptized  into 
the  family  of  God.  We  become  visibly  his  chil- 
dren; he,  our  Father.  We  are  called  by  his  name. 
Baptism  enunciates  this.  Hence  Paul  dreaded  even 
the  impeachment  of  baptizing  "into  sig  ro  e^v  ovo^a 
his  own  name;"  as  if  he  were  about  erecting  a  pri- 
vate concern,  a  separate  and  rival  interest  of  his 
own!  a  church  of  Paul,  not  of  Christ. 

5.  The  meaning  of  the  proper  phrase  is  compre- 
hensive and  excellent.  The  name  of  Jehovah  is 
that  by  which  he  is  known.    It  includes  whatever 


537 


manifests  him.  Thus  is  it  the  object  of  worship 
and  of  praise,  of  conformity  and  aspiration,  as  wfill 
as  of  knowledge  and  profession.  The  party  is 
henceforth  to  be  educated  to  Christ.  He  has  sym- 
boHcally  "  put  on  Christ."  He  has  been  publicly 
devoted  "to  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  To  the  same  high 
and  holy  name,  assumed  as  his,  he  is  now  to  live. 
It  becomes  the  obligation  of  his  life  to  honor  that 
name.  Not  to  do  it,  is  sacrilege.  It  is  desecra- 
ting what  is  relatively  holy.  It  is  robbery  of  God. 
It  is  manifest  and  awful  sin.  And  yet — it  not  so 
much  makes  the  obligation,  as  recognises  it.  It  is 
the  obligation  which  rests  equally  in  fact  on  all  men. 
I  do  not  say  that  there  is  not  a  special  degree  and 
form  of  obligation  resulting  from  the  solemnity — as 
an  increase  of  light  and  privilege  always  enhances 
obligation,  and  as  vows  enhance  it. 

By  the  way,  we  may  see  in  what  sense  the  nam- 
ing of  the  subject  is  connected  with  baptism.  Chris- 
tening, as  the  rite  is  very  improperly  called,  means 
with  many  only  giving  a  name.  If  so,  I  say,  it  is 
not  its  human  name,  (which  is  strictly  no  part  of 
the  rite,)  but  its  divine  one  alone.  Acts,  15:  17. 
How  very  superior  are  the  implications  ! 

OF  THE  lord's  SUPPER. 

Other  denominations  are  accused  by  Friends,  in 
reference  to  the  sacraments,  not  only  of  general 
darkness,  but  of  a  judaizing  and  romanizing  pro- 
pensity.   In  this  they  assume,  not  prove,  that 

68 


538 


Christianity  has  no  appropriate  symbohcal  institu- 
tions. But  this  is  exactly  the  question  in  dispute  ! 
Whatever  is  properly  Jewish  or  mosaic  must  indeed 
depart  with  the  abrogated  economy  to  which  it  be- 
longs. But  may  they  not  be  too  hasty  in  cashiering 
every  thing  on  the  assumption  that  it  is  Jewish,  and 
as  such  annulled  1  Not  indeed  if  they  are  inspired; 
for  when  was  any  one  ever  too  hasty  in  obeying 
God  ?  If  I  could  grant  their  inspiration,  there  would 
be  at  once  an  end  of  the  argument.  But  as  I  sin- 
cerely believe  them  mistaken  in  that  grand  particu- 
lar, it  will  be  at  least  consistent  to  argue  the  matter. 
If  they  say  how  shall  we  know  what  is  abrogated 
and  what  is  perpetual?  I  answer,  1.  This  is  Just 
such  a  question  as  Friends  are  fond  of  asking,  sim- 
ply because  they  cannot  answer  it  themselves.  They 
have  no  "  pastors  and  teachers  "  among  them,  who 
learn  and  hence  are  qualified  to  teach  ;  they  are  all 
inspired,  and  thence  study  and  investigation  are  at 
war  with  the  duty  of  waiting  for  the  responses  of 
the  internal  oracle.  Thus  they  "  have  taicen  away 
the  key  of  knowledge."  This  is  the  real  cause  of 
the  doctrinal  ignorance  of  the  society  ;  and  it  is  the 
inglorious  occasion  of  thousands  of  questions,  which 
they  would  be  ashamed  to  ask  if  the  inward  light 
had  not  paralysed  their  powers  and  suspended  with 
them  the  sources  of  instruction,  which  God  hath 
ordained  and  blessed  as  ordinarily  indispensable  to 
doctrinal  proficiency.  How  shall  we  know  1  they 
often  ask  ;  how  shall  we  discriminate  I  Ansv/er, 
how  can  you  help  knowing,  how  can  you  fail  to 
discriminate,  if  you  have  this  omniscient  light  within 


539 


you  ?  If  you  wish  to  know  how  we  uninspired 
people  come  by  our  knowledge,  we  answer,  hy  stu- 
dious and  honest  and  prayerful  application  of  mind 
to  the  inspired  scriptures,  and  in  no  other  way.  This 
way  you  have  never  tried,  and  never  can  try,  while 
you  beheve  in  your  own  inspiration.  But  2,  the 
scriptures  fully  enable  us  to  discriminate  ;  though 
this  is  not  vital  to  our  present  argument,  which  is  to 
prove  that  Christianity  hath  its  own  symbolical  insti- 
tutions, and  that  the  holy  eucharist  is  one  of  them. 
Many  things  were  imposed  on  the  jews  "  till  the 
time  of  reformation  ;"  but  when  that  "  time  "  oc- 
curred, it  brought  with  it  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper,  too  easy,  significant,  unbloody  observances ; 
which  in  no  wise  encumber,  and  in  many  ways 
assist,  the  spirituality  itself  of  the  worshippers. 
This  I  can  heartily  and  experimentally,  I  iu  pe, 
attest. 

I  define  the  Lord's  supper  thus  ;  A  solemn  cere- 
monial observance  in  which,  by  the  distribution  and 
participation  of  bread  broken  and  wine  poured,  the 
church  obey  God  in  "  showing  forth  the  Lord's 
death "  as  the  only  and  the  ample  atonement  for 
the  sins  of  men  ;  coynmemorating  the  expiatory  death 
of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  only  medium  of  the  remis- 
sion of  sins ;  confessing  their  ill-desert  as  trans- 
gressors of  the  law  of  God,  and  their  grander  sins 
as  having  been  neglecters  of  his  glorious  gospel; 
professing  their  faith  in  his  doctrine,  and  their  hope 
in  his  grace  and  advocacy;  devoting  themselves  to 
his  service  forever  ;  expressing  their  love  for  each 
other,  their  benevolence  to  all  men  ;  and  expecting 


540 


from  his  infinite  fulness,  as  exacted  to  the  throne  of 
the  universe,  a  full  supply  of  all  that  they  need  for 
time  and  for  eternity,  according  to  his  promises. 

That  this  is  a  sacrament  of  the  New  Testament 
according  to  the  will  of  God,  and  as  such  incumbent 
on  all  men,  I  prove,  by  the  worthiness  of  the  event 
commemorated ;  by  its  manifest  tendency  to  sanctify 
and  console  the  spirits  of  his  worshippers  ;  by  direct 
evidence  from  scripture. 

1.  I  begin  with  considering  the  icorthiness  of  the 
event  commemorated  in  the  Lord's  supper. 

Whoever  understands  and  accredits  the  nature 
of  the  atonement,  and  sees  its  immense  importance 
in  all  our  moral  relations,  will  admit  not  only  that  it 
deserves  to  be  commemorated  or  that  no  event  ever 
did  or  ever  can  deserve  such  honor ;  but  also  that 
an  institution,  such  as  that  now  under  considera- 
tion, is  most  worthy  at  once  of  the  wisdom  of  God 
and  the  universal  approbation  of  man.  I  trace  the 
disaffection  of  Friends,  therefore,  to  their  real  ig- 
norance of  the  nature  and  glory  of  the  atonement. 
But  here  it  will  be  replied  that  Friends  do  beheve 
this  article  of  the  catholic  creed.  To  this  I  answer, 
1.  That  this  is  not  true  of  all  or  of  a  very  numerous 
portion  o  them.  Many  with  whom  I  have  con- 
versed are  pure  infidels  on  this  prime  topic.  One 
of  their  most  notable  preachers  in  my  own  vicinity 
has  publicly  vilified  the  doctrine,  and  said  in  the  eye 
of  day,  (the  letter  that  contains  it  has  been  printed 
in  our  public  journals,)  that  he  would  prefer  to 
receive  the  punishment  due  to  his  iniquity,  rather 
than  accept  of  pardon  on  the  terms  of  a  suffering 


541 


substitute.    He  was  no  doubt  in  earnest  in  this 
declaration,  and  as  much  inspired  as  he  is  on  any- 
other  article.    I  sincerely  pray  that  his  preference 
may  not  be  his  perdition !    What  kind  of  a  chris- 
tian community  is  that  with  whom  such  a  vaunted 
preacher  of  Christ  is  still  suffered  to  exercise  an 
uncensured  ministry"!®'    But  2,    I  am  scarcely 
convinced  that  one  of  them,  with  whom  I  have 
ever  conversed,  or  whose  writings*^  I  have  ever 
read,  either  clearly  understands  or  properly  believes 
the  atonement  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Barclay, 
Fox,  and  others  do  indeed  say,  now  and  then,  that 
Christ  died  for  us  and  was  our  sacrifice  ;  but  this  is 
so  infrequent,  so  general,  so  transient,  so  opaque  a 
confession,  that  it  serves  little  other  purpose  than  to 
prove  how  deeply  they  disparaged,  and  how  superfi- 
cially they  comprehended,  that  glorious  transaction. 
A  writer  on  astronomy,  if  he  intelligently  receiv- 
ed the  copernican  system,  would  not  merely  glance 
at  the  cardinal  fact  of  the  central  position  of  the 
sun  and  the  tributary  movements  of  surrounding 
orbs  ;  he  would  signalize  the  illustrious  truth,  and 
make  it  as  renowned  in  his  treatise  as  it  is  in  the 
economy  of  the  firmament.    What  that  fact  is  to 
the  solar  system,  such  is  the  doctrine  of  atone- 
ment to  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus."    To  deny  it, 
to  omit  it,  to  obscure  it,  to  disparage  it,  is  to  quench 
the  glory  of  the  gospel  and  the  hopes  of  the  world. 
"  In  him  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men." 
In  the  sententious  language  of  the  beloved  apos- 
tle, life  and  light  are  his  accustomed  tropes  for  sal- 
vation and  knowledge.    Thus,  in  Christ  was  salva- 


542 


tion  through  his  atonement  on  the  cross ;  and  this 
salvation  properly  understood,  so  illumines  the  mind 
that  one  knows,  understands,  sees,  the  things  of 
duty  and  of  God  with  correctness  and  unto  salva- 
tion.   "  In  him  was  life  and  the  life  was  the  light 
of  men."    The  sentence  is  dense,  but  not  mysti- 
cal ;  it  ever  was  and  ever  will  be  true.  Observation 
perpetually  confirms  it  ;  they  understand  duty  who 
have  learned  salvation.    The  cross  is  itself  the  key 
and  the  torch  of  all  sound  philosophy  in  universal 
ethics.   It  is  "the  light  of  men,"  because  it  is  "the 
life  "  likewise  :  for  Christ  becomes  "  our  life,"  be- 
cause he  died  for  us,  as  an  expiatory  sacrifice  to  the 
glorious  justice  of  God.    Hence,  when  we  hear  of 
a  religious  teacher  who  transiently  adverts  to  the 
death  of  Christ,  but  sees  no  attraction  there  to  de- 
tain his  thoughts,  we  know  at  least  that  he  is  so 
uninstructed  in  the  central  glories  of  the  kingdom 
that  he  is  incompetent  to  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
as  one  of  those  who  "understand  neither  what  they 
say,  nor  whereof  they  affirm."    To  this  I  can  affix 
the  seal  of  my  own  experience — and  of  my  perfect 
conviction.    I  once  sincerely  compassionated  the 
emptiness  of  the  communion-service  and  the  super- 
stition  of  those  who  revered  it :  but  then  I  knew  not 
the  Father  or  Christ,  and  was  deplorably  ignorant 
of  the  atonement.  When  my  mind  was  revolution- 
ed  by  the  truth  on  that  excellent  doctrine,  I  repent- 
ed of  my  compassion  "in  dust  and  ashes,"  and  sin- 
cerely "  abhorred  "  my  arrogance  before  God  :  hav- 
ing no  hope  except  in  "  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cru- 
cified "  as  "an  offering  for  sin,"  and  having  posi- 


543 


lively  a  sweet  and  glorious  hope  of  "  redemption 
through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins  according 
to  the  riches  of  his  grace." 

As  to  the  importance  of  the  atonement,  it  can 
easily  be  proved  from  the  scriptures  that  not  a  sin 
could  be  remitted  without  it ;  that  all  the  remissions 
ever  granted  previous  to  the  advent  of  Christ,  from 
Abel  downward,  were  "  for  Christ's  sake,"  who  was 
to  appear  and  suffer  in  behalf  of  sinners  ;  and  that 
all  that  have  been  since  granted  were  equally  for  his 
sake,  who  has  appeared,  and  has  "put  away  sin  by 
the  sacrifice  of  himself;"  that  he  is  the  Savior  and 
the  only  Savior  of  men  ;  that  his  principal  design 
in  coming  into  the  world  was  "  to  save  sinners  "  by 
dying  for  them  ;  for  though  he  "  left  us  an  example," 
this  was  not  the  principal  end  of  his  manifestation. 
His  example  was  not  his  atonement ;  and  "  without 
shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission."  All  the  ap- 
pointed hundreds  of  millions  of  symbolical  sacrifices 
that  bled  for  4000  years  on  the  altars  of  God,  were 
prejigurative  of  Christ  and  derived  all  their  efficacy 
from  their  relation  to  him.  They  were  all  prospec- 
tively typical  of  "  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world  ;"  even  as  "  the  Lord's 
Supper"  is  commemorative  and  retrospectively  typi- 
cal of  the  same  self-offered  victim. 

The  philosophy  of  the  atonement  is — I  must 
think — intelligible  ;  and,  when  understood,  the  most 
stupendous  spectacle  of  moral  grandeur  of  which 
in  all  our  knowledge  there  is  any  example.  The 
ineffable  glory  of  God  is  no  where  apparent  to  our 
perceptions  as  it  shines  reflected  from  tlie  cross. 


544 


H  s  unsuffering  justice,  his  unspotted  purity,  his  in- 
finite benevolence,  his  wonderful  philanthropy,  his 
eternal  faithfulness,  his  unfathomable  mercy  and 
grace  to  guilty  men,  his  consummate  wisdom,  his 
absolute  supremacy,  his  perfect  nnchangableness, 
his  inconceivable  power,  his  matchless  condescen- 
sion, his  greatness  and  his  glory ;  all  his  perfec- 
tions, natural,  moral,  communicable,  incommunica- 
ble, there  harmonize,  and  blend,  and  blaze,  with  an 
effulgence  which  nothing  else  can  illustrate.  That 
God  is  a  most  perfect  moral  governor  ;  that  his  law 
is  not  to  be  broken  with  impunity;  that  his  admi- 
nistration is  at  once  infinitely  authoritative  and  in- 
finitely benign ;  that  he  punishes,  not  for  the  sake 
of  punishing,  but  for  the  sake  of  preserving  the 
moral  order  of  the  universe;  that  the  whole  human 
race  is  sinful  and  so  exposed  to  punishment ;  that 
sin  deserves  the  awful  curse  which  the  law  of  God 
denounces  against  it ;  that  his  kindness  to  sinners 
shall  never  be  exercised  at  variance  with  his  kind- 
ness to  the  universe,  nor  mercy  triumph  at  the  ex- 
pense of  justice;  that  mercy  is  that  to  which  a  sin- 
ner has  no  claim,  no  right,  no  title,  from  the  law- 
giver ;  that  God  is  under  no  obligation  to  provide 
a  Savior  for  the  guilty,  and  that  it  was  therefore 
grace,  not  debt,  that  one  is  provided ;  that  the  law 
of  God  is  *'  holy,  just,  and  good,"  and  that  its  pre- 
ceptive claims  are  never  repealable  ;  that  men  must 
hence  be  brought  to  love  the  law  in  order  to  ap- 
prove of  the  gospel ;  that  the  gospel  is  not  merciful 
and  gracious,  if  the  law  is  not  just  and  excellent ; 
that  it  is  hypocrisy  to  profess  love  for  the  gospel 


545 


while  we  secretly  dislike  the  perfection  of  the  law; 
that  God  pities  whom  he  punishes,  and  "  delighteth 
not  in  the  death  of  him  that  dieth ;"  that  when  God 
can  answer,  by  an  expedient  of  his  own  adoption, 
all  the  ends  of  punishment,  through  atonement  and 
properly  without  punishment,  he  is  then  ready  to 
pardon  with  eternal  and  infinite  and  generous  be- 
nignity ;  that  the  atonement  did  not  make  him 
essentially  placable,  since  this  was  his  character 
from  everlasting,  but  that  it  qualified  his  adminis- 
tration to  show  the  mercy  of  his  nature  in  the  sal- 
vation of  sinners ;  that  he  procured  the  atonement 
at  an  infinite  expense,  and  will  not  suffer  it  to  be 
made  in  vain ;  that  his  providence  is  higher,  and 
deeper,  and  larger,  and  stronger,  than  all  the  skill 
of  his  adversaries,  and  that  his  pleasure  shall  be 
accomplished  in  their  overthrow,  except  they  re- 
pent and  become  his  friends  ;  that  he  is  an  infin- 
itely glorious  and  all-perfect  being,  a  God  of  un- 
fathomable wisdom  and  illimitable  intelligence, 
"  over  all  and  blessed  forever :"  these  are  some, 
and  only  a  few,  of  the  living  truths  which  radiate 
from  the  cross  as  from  their  proper  focus,  and  im- 
press the  image  of  their  own  loveliness  on  the 
spirits  of  christians.  They  give  us  a  glimpse  of 
that  glory  which  will  enlighten  the  perceptions  of 
the  church  triumphant  forever.  Many  other  truths 
are  taught  most  impressively  in  connection  with 
the  cross ;  many  of  a  speculative,  experimental,  and 
practical  character,  which  are  all  excellent,  but 
which  we  cannot  now  enumerate.  Suffice  it  that 
a  genuine  estimate  of  the  moral  glory  of  the  atone- 

69 


546 

ment  and  of  the  salvation  of  the  gospel,  wilfalways 
lead  us  to  exclaim  intelligently  with  Paul ;  "  But 
God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross 
OF  OUR  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world  is 
crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world." 

An  atonement  has  actually  been  made  for  sin, 
"that  God  might  be  just  and  the  justifier  of  him 
that  believeth  in  Jesus  and  it  is  important  that  the 
fact  with  all  its  instructive  accompaniments  should 
be  universally  remembered.  Christ  has  accordingly 
instituted  that  significant  festival  of  faith,  called 
"  the  Lord's  Supper,"  saying  ;  "  Do  this  in  remem- 
brance of  me."  The  commemoration  of  the  love  of 
Christ  in  the  atonement  is  the  commemoration  of 
the  sum  total  of  religion.  Not  a  duty,  a  privilege, 
a  relation,  but  connects  itself  with  that  glorious  af- 
fair ;  and  derives  from  it  light,  consolation,  and  en- 
couragement. Can  any  man  degrade  or  doubt  the 
symbol,  who  duly  estimates  the  reality  \  Friends 
often  demand  why  we  do  not  practise  the  papal  pe- 
diluvium  or  feet-washing,  since  this  is  equally 
enjoined  by  Christ  1  I  answer,  because  it  is  not 
equally  enjoined,  nor  enjoined  at  all  as  a  positive 
observance  ;  because  it  was  merely  a  symbolical  or 
exemplary  action  of  Christ,  enjoining,  as  its  whole 
moral  force,  kindness  and  service  toward  each  other 
among  all  his  disciples  ;  and  enjoining  this  in  the 
most  affecting  circumstances.  John,  33:  13-16. 
What  then  is  the  wisdom  of  that  man,  Barclay  or 
any  other,  who  can  liken  the  atonement  to  the  pedi- 
luvium,  and  calmly  ask,  if  one  is  to  be  commemo- 
rated, why  not  the  other  ^    I  adduce  this  as  a  proof 


547 


that  none  of  them  see  the  infinite  worthiness  of  the 
atonement,  that  none  of  them  properly  understand 
or  appreciate  the  vicarious  death  of  the  Son  of 
God  !    Or,  if  any  of  them  do  see  its  glory,  their 
vision  is  fitful  and  faint.    Their  atmosphere  is  so 
misty  and  hazy  that  the  very  sun  looks  like  the 
moon  eclipsed  through  such  a  medium.    I  scarce 
ever  saw  or  heard  or  read  a  man  or  woman  of  them, 
whose  knowledge  of  the  matter  was  not  shallow 
and  puerile  ;  even  when  comparatively  most  sound. 
How  could  it  be  otherwise  I    Those  who  never 
learn,  can  never  teach  :  and  their  inspiration  does 
not  vacate  the  sentiment.    The  orthodox  of  them, 
so  called,  as  to  the  real  science  of  the  subject,  the 
intellection  of  the  things,  the  knowledge  of  the 
atonement  with  its  relations  and  implications  and 
glorious  excellencies,  are  weak  as  water,  shallow  as 
the  surface,  almost  as  empty  as  mere  verbiage  can 
make  them.   Just  so  long  as  their  preachers  refuse 
to  study  theology,  count  it  as  a  sin,  get  no  know- 
ledge but  what  they  steal  from  better  sources  and 
then  credit  it  to  the  honor  of  the  light  within ;  so 
long  will  their  spiritual  pedantry   and  religious 
quackery  and  doctrinal  sottishness  continue  ! 

If  Friends  had  obeyed  Christ  in  this  observance  ; 
if  they  had  "  often "  and  every  where  commemo- 
rated his  dying  love,  at  the  communion-table  ;  if 
they  had  followed  the  wisdom  of  scripture,  instead 
of  their  own  illusory  light ;  if  this  ordinance  had 
been  duly  observed,  explained,  estimated  among 
them  from  the  beginning,  they  would  not  now 


549  ^ 
V. 

have — preachers  who  denounce  the  doctrhie  of 
atonement,  the  only  foundation  of  hope,  and  so 
"deny  the  Lord  that  bought  them!"  It  may  be 
safely  affirmed  that  to  shght  the  distinguishing 
truths  contained  in  that  observance,  is  a  uniform 
and  certain  symptom  of  fatal  degeneracy ;  and  that 
it  can  no  where  be  duly  understood  and  honored 
where  those  truths  are  not  ascendant  and  believed. 
It  preaches  the  gospel  to  the  very  senses  of  men. 
In  the  bread  that  is  broken,  representing  his  man- 
gled body,  and  the  wine  that  is  poured,  represent- 
ing his  blood  shed  for  our  sins,  are  contained  the 
hieroglyphics  of  redemption.  It  signifies  the  very 
vitals  of  evangelical  religion.  It  has  the  same  reve- 
lation to  the  scripture  doctrine  of  justification  which 
baptism  sustains  to  that  of  sanctification  ;  and  both 
these  united  are  the  religion  of  the  Bible  in  epitome. 
"  O  foolish  Galatians,  who  hath  bewitched  you,  that 
ye  should  not  obey  the  truth,  before  whose  eyes  Je- 
sus Christ  hath  been  evidently  set  forth,  crucified 
among  you  1"  Gal.  3:1.  It  could  have  been  mani- 
fested to  their  "  eyes,"  only  symbolically,  in  the  or- 
dinance of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

2.  The  manifest  tendency  of  commemorating  the 
death  of  Christ  at  the  communion-table,  is  an  argu- 
ment for  its  divine  authority. 

If  its  tendency  is  good  and  not  evil,  then  cer- 
tainly nothing  contrary  to  goodness  is  contained  in 
it.  But  if  that  good  is  positive,  great,  favorable  to 
the  purest  celebration  of  divine  worship,  this  is  of 
itself  no  mean  argument  in  vindication  of  its  divine 


549 


■» 

origin  ;  and,  in  connection  with  other  and  greater 
evidence,  it  is  most  veritable  proof.  "  Prove  all 
things  ;  hold  fast  that  which  is  good." 

The  actual  tendency  of  a  divine  enactment  is 
answerable  to  the  design  of  God  in  its  legisla- 
tion. What  then  was  the  design  of  the  communion 
serviced  I  answer — to  diffuse  and  perpetuate  the 
devout  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the  end  of  time. 
"  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me.  For  as  often 
as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show 
the  Lord's  death  till  he  come."  1  Cor.  11  :  24-26. 
"  O  foolish  Galatians,"  &.c.  Gal.  3:1.  1  Cor.  10  : 
16-21.  The  tendency  of  this  service  then  is  seen 
in  its  nature  and  design.  It  tends  to  define,  estab- 
lish, and  promulgate  Christianity.  It  tends  to  the 
vindication  of  true  religion  in  the  earth.  It  tends 
in  the  same  precise  ratio  to  save  the  souls  of  men ; 
to  promote  all  their  real  temporal  interests  ;  to  con- 
sole the  hopes  and  edify  the  faith  of  christians  ;  to 
designate  the  church  ;  to  instruct  all  beholders  in 
the  cardinal  things  of  the  gospel ;  to  maintain  gra- 
titude in  the  bosoms  of  men  for  the  love  of  Christ ; 
to  aid  the  just  interpretation  of  the  scriptures  ;  to 
symbolize  salvation ;  to  impress  the  mind  with  the 
very  essentials  of  revelation  ;  to  preserve  the  dis- 
tinguishing features  of  evangelical  worship  ;  to 
show  the  nature  of  that  one  hope  (founded  on  the 
only  medium  of  salvation)  which  alone  the  truth 
of  God  authenticates  ;  to  rebuke  all  heretical  in- 
novations in  doctrine,  experience,  or  practice  ;  to 
strengthen  the  trust  of  the  believer;  to  bind  in  one 
the  body  of  the  faithful ;  to  afford  a  most  affecting, 


550 


appropriate,  sanctioned  way  of  professing,  and  re- 
professing,  the  faith  of  Christ ;  to  afford  a  visible,  a 
universal,  and  a  frequent  discrimination  between  the 
church  and  the  world,  between  "  the  sacramental 
host  of  God's  elect "  and  the  bewildered  tribes  of 
the  ungodly;  to  induce  humihty,  self-examination, 
prayer,  praise,  and  joy  in  God  ;  to  habituate  chris- 
tians to  remember  Christ  and  their  infinite  obliga- 
tions  to  his  love  ;  to  remind  them  continually,  "  as 
often  "  as  they  so  commune,  of  all  their  spiritual 
relations  and  prospects ;  constantly  to  revive  in 
their  feelings  the  grand  object  of  apostolic  toils 
and  cares,  "Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified;"  to 
make  them  think  of  others,  imitate  the  love  of 
Christ,  and  communicate  the  gospel  to  the  desti- 
tute ;  to  deepen  all  their  devout  impressions ;  to 
affect  them  with  the  expectation  of  their  own  death ; 
to  mature  them  for  tlie  heavenly  state ;  to  deaden 
them  to  the  world  and  its  evanescent  glory ;  to  per- 
petuate all  the  moral  lessons  of  the  cross ;  to  testify 
the  glorious  fact  of  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead ;  to  endear  his  name 
to  his  people ;  and  to  promote  the  conversion  of 
sinners. 

In  short,  what  good  end  does  religion  sanction 
that  the  ordinance  we  are  considering  does  not  tend 
to  produce  I  It  symbolizes  the  atonement  of  our 
crucified  Lord  :  and  what  the  atonement  was  in  fact, 
such  symbohcally  is  the  Lord's  Supper.  To  this 
view  I  will  anticipate  two  objections,  which  how- 
ever have  been  often  urged.  How,  it  is  said,  if  the 
atonement  was  such  in  itself,  such  toward  God,  does 


551 


it  hence  follow  that  we  should  commemorate  it  in 
the  symbol,  since,  what  it  was,  it  is  and  remains  to 
be  ;  and  since  its  nature  would  be  just  the  same  if 
the  event  was  not  so  commemorated  I  To  this  I 
rejoin,  that  in  addition  to  its  influence  upon  the  mo- 
ral administration  of  God  and  in  the  ultimate  bless- 
edness of  the  faithful,  it  is  adapted  and  designed 
indispensably  to  have  a  moral  influence  (of  ill  ami- 
nation,  sanctification,  consolation,  and  worship)  up- 
on the  church  and  the  world,  which  influence  cannot 
be  exerted  or  felt  but  by  the  due  celebration  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  :  so  that  while  we  have  no  idea  (as 
have  the  Romanists)  that  there  is  any  expiatory 
virtue  in  the  symbol  or  the  service,  and  none  that 
our  actions  can  at  all  alter  or  affect  the  intrinsic 
nature  of  the  atonement,  we  do  believe  that  our 
characters  are  altered  in  relation  to  the  atonement, 
and  the  atonement  changed  in  its  relations  to  us,  by 
our  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  according  to 
his  appointment.  Besides,  in  devout  subserviency 
to  Christ  in  his  own  ordinances,  we  receive  "  the 
Holy  Ghost,  whom  God  hath  given  to  them  that 
obey  him."  Acts,  5  :  32.  Hence,  as  it  is  the  will 
of  God  that  such  commemoration  should  be  perpe- 
tual in  the  church,  he  blesses  its  due  administra- 
tion, and  produces,  through  the  sanctifying  virtue 
of  his  own  most  holy  Spirit,  that  moral  influence 
(which  also  the  ordinance  itself  tends  to  exert)  in 
the  bosoms  of  the  pious,  under  which  they  make 
a  juster  and  clearer  estimate  of  religion,  and  are 
progressively  transformed  into  the  divine  similitude. 
2  Cor.  3:18.    The  objection  rests  on  a  total  and 


552 


a  very  common  mistake  as  to  the  nature  of  the 
atonement ;  which  is  not  that  measure  of  licentious- 
ness which  some  seem  fatedly  to  suppose.  The 
atonement  was  not  intended  to  accompUsh  the  sal- 
vation of  men  in,  but  ^'■from,  their  sins."  Hence 
there  is  space  intentionally  left,  after  the  atonement 
as  such  is  consummated,  for  the  action  of  moral 
influence  and  the  scope  of  moral  agency.  Hence 
a  man  must  still  repent  of  his  sins,  and  believe 
with  his  heart,  notwithstanding  the  atonement ;  or 
Christ  shall  profit  him  nothing."    The  only  way 
to  be  savingly  interested  iu  the  atonement,  or  in 
Him  who  made  it,  is  to — "  repent  and  believe  the 
gospel."    A  moral  effect  then  must  still  be  pro- 
duced on  the  spirits  of  men,  and  no  less  than  that 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  denominates  regeneration, 
or  there  can  be  no  salvation  even  through  the  atone- 
ment. How  worthy  of  the  wisdom  of  God  to  make  ■ 
the  doctrine  of  the  atonement  and  the  frequent 
symbolizing  of  its  truth  to  the  senses  of  men,  to 
become  the  very  means  and  the  objective  causes  of 
producing  that  moral  effect  on  their  spirits ;  by 
bringing  them  to  consider,  believe,  approve,  resem- 
ble, enjoy,  inherit,  and  communicate,  "  the  glorious 
gospel  of  the  blessed  God  !"   Here  we  see  two  ex- 
tremes of  error  (and  which  is  more  hurtful  I  do 
not  take  on  me  to  decide)  to  which  men  have 
been  alternately  propense,  and  that  in  every  age. 
Some  must  have  all  atonement,  and  nothing  else  : 
others,  all  internal  subjective  practical  holiness,  and 
nothing  else  ;  no  atonement.    The  former  depre- 
ciate "the  fruit  of  the  Spirit,"  the  necessity  of  per- 


553 


sonal  obedience,  the  lasting  obligation-  of  righteous- 
ness, and  the  perfection  of  the  law  of  God  :  the 
latter  dishonor  the  law  in  another  way,  see  not  the 
necessity  of  the  perfect  moral  government  of  God, 
substitute  their  own  doings  for  the  atonement,  array 
mercy  against  justice,  or  make  mercy  in  Jehovah 
such  an  attribute  of  weakness  and  variableness  as 
would  disgrace  a  man;  and  so  put  the  extinguisher 
of  their  own  ignorance  and  effrontery  on  the  glory 
of  the  gospel.    Both  extremes  are  wrong. 

Incidit  in  Scyllam  qui  vult  vitare  Charybdim. 

He  sinks  in  Scylla,  who  would  more  avoid 
Charybdis'  whirlpool,  equally  destroyed. 

They  constitute  the  Scylla  and  Charybdis  of  the 
subject : — not  so  however  as  desperately  to  endan- 
ger the  bark  of  faith,  of  which  God  is  the  pilot, 
truth  the  guiding  star,  and  safety  the  course  equi- 
distant from  either  of  the  ruinous  alternatives.  John, 
3  :  17,  18.  1  Tim.  1  :  15.  Our  Palinurus  never 
sleeps,  and  when  waking  never  errs. 

The  other  objection  is  one  in  which  Friends  pe- 
culiarly delight.  It  is  this — of  what  avail  is  it  to 
speak  all  these  good  things  about  the  tendency  of 
the  ordinance,  if  it  is  still  wanting  in  efficacy?  if 
thousands  who  observe  it  have  never  realized  those 
excellencies  to  which  the  ordinance  is  said  to  tend? 
if  millions  even  who  have  regularly  eaten  of  that 
bread  and  drunk  of  that  cup,  have  been  bloody, 
persecuting,  impure,  incorrigible  sinners,  perpetrat- 

70 


554 


ing,  as  occasion  served,  all  manner  of  sin,  and  be- 
ing at  once  a  nuisance  to  society  and  a  degradation 
to  human  nature  1  Version — if  a  good  thing  is 
abused,  it  ought  to  be  disused  ;  if  a  divine  institu- 
tion is  not  duly  honored,  it  ought  to  be  abrogated. 
Let  us  then  abrogate  marriage  and  every  other  di- 
vine institution. 

In  order  to  make  the  objection  available,  or  give 
it  any  efficacy,  it  ought  to  be  shown  (1)  that  such 
miscreants  were  intelligent  and  devout  communi- 
cants ;  and  not  merely  that  they  did  the  material 
thing  :  for  no  ordinance  of  Christianity,  nor  even 
of  Quakerism,  professes  any  efficacy  but  by  faith 
in  its  divine  authority.  Christianity  tends  manifest- 
ly, tends  pre-eminently,  to  sanctify  and  save  the 
world  :  but  still,  it  has  efficacy  to  save  only  where 
it  is  clearly  and  cordially  accredited.  Now,  is  it 
any  proof  against  the  ordinance  that  hypocrites 
have  celebrated  it,  that  apostates  have  dishonored 
it,  that  infidels  have  remained  unblest  by  it  1  And 
it  ought  to  be  shown  (2)  that  a  divine  ordinance 
is  not  to  be  estimated  according  to  its  own  evi- 
dence, nature,  and  tendency ;  but  depends  for  its 
character  upon  the  treatment  it  receives  in  a 
world  of  dark  and  ignoble  traitors  against  heaven  ! 
What,  upon  this  principle,  should  we  think  of  Christ 
himself]  Was  he  as  bad  as  the  treatment  he  re- 
ceived ?  Thus  the  tendency  of  the  Lord's  supper 
is  excellent,  and  remains  an  everlasting  argument 
for  its  worth.  We  are  not  advocating  its  abuse  or 
apologizing  for  its  abusers.  To  say,  as  some  have 
done,  that  there  is  no  distinction  or  difference  be- 


555 


tween  tendency  and  efficacy,  and  that  there  is  in 
any  subject  just  as  much  of  the  former  as  of  the 
latter,  and  no  more,  is  just  saying  of  every  divine 
ordinance  that  it  has  no  intrinsic  character — that 
the  Bible  itself  has  none — and  that  its  adorable 
Author  himself,  unless  where  his  name  commands 
its  due  efficacy — but,  I  forbear!  In  the  tendency 
of  the  ordinance,  which  to  faith  becomes  its  efficacy 
too,  thousands  and  millions  of  God's  elect  have  re- 
joiced before  him,  whose  lives  have  evinced  the 
proper  fruits  of  worship  and  the  reality  of  genuine 
faith  in  the  atonement,  which  they  were  wont  to 
commemorate.  With  ineffiible  delight  have  they  ap- 
proached that  sacred  festival,  and  repeated  "  often  " 
the  privileged  obedience.  /  never  come  to  it  but 
with  an  estimate  which  7-ecollection  deepens  and  ex- 
alts. "  Herein  is  love  :  not  that  we  loved  God,  but 
that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propi- 
tiation for  our  sins.  Beloved,  if  God  so  loved  us, 
we  ought  also  to  love  one  another."  1  John,  4  :  10, 
11.  2  Cor.  5  :  14,  15.  Gal.  2:  20.  I  proceed  fur- 
ther to  evince  the  fact  of  the  divine  authority  of  the 
observance, 

3.  From  direct  scripture  evidence.  Here  allow 
me  to  pause,  and  wonder  at  the  infinitely  foolish 
anomaly  of  Quakerism.  I  do  it  too  not  without 
humiliation  mingled  with  curious  inspection  ;  for  I 
was  a  Quaker  and  am  a  man.  Poor  human  nature! 
philosophy,  by  which  I  mean  religion,  requires  me 
to  look  at  thee  by  engrossment,  as  well  as  in  detail ; 
and  whenever  thou  art  visible  in  the  back-ground 
of  the  mirror  of  truth,  to  say — it  reflects  a  picture 


556 


of  which  I  am  generically  the  original.  Ought  we 
not  all  to  be  humble'? 

And  what  man,  seeing  this, 
And  having  human  feelings,  does  not  blusli, 
And  hang  his  head  to  think  himself  a  man  ! — Cowper. 

Sunt  lacrymae  rerum  et  mentem  moi  talia  tangunt. — Virg. 

No  fictions  these,  but  stern  realities! 

We  weep  at  things — who  would  not  that  is  wise? 

Cur  kind  is  sul'.ering;  and  we  sympathize. 

Homo  sum  !  huniani  nil  a  me  alienum  puto. — Ter.  . 

I  am  a  man  !  a  common  tie 
Unites  me  to  humanity. 

We  may  well  question  whether  men  ever  saw 
the  exact  parallel  of  Quaker  presumption  and  folly, 
error  and  pretension,  all  confounded  in  one  re- 
ligious  system, 

"  Since  Abel  M  orshipped  or  the  world  began  !" 

Fox,  who  pioneered  the  way,  was  a  spiritual 
nonesuch.  He  boasts  the  highest  kind  of  inspira- 
tion— God  and  he  talking  together  with  infinite  fa- 
miliarity on  every  subject.  One  would  think  that 
all  heaven  was  bent  upon  making  his  acquaintance, 
and  crowding  into  his  company.  I  would  not  here 
insinuate  that  he  was  not  a  curiosity  in  sober  fact, 
even  to  angels.  What  wonderful  "openings"  he 
had  !  and  these  not  in  theology  alone;  but  also  in 
law,  metaphysics,  languages,  arts,  and  sciences  ; 
and  especially  in  botany,  chemistry,  materia-me- 
dica,  and  astronomy so  that  he  once  seriously 


557 


thought  of  becoming  a  practitioner  of  physic ! 
What  a  prize  would  such  a  Galen  prove  in  these 
days  of  cholera!  Is  it  any  wonder  now  that  his 
skill,  (which  was  not  original  at  all  in  Barclay, 
Penn,  and  Sarah  Grubb,  for  they  learned  the  most 
of  what  they  knew  about  tlie  light  within — they 
learned  it  all  from  George,)  is  it,  I  say,  to  be  won- 
dered at  that  he  should  have  skill,  quite  as  extraor- 
dinary at  least,  in  biblical  antiquities,  sacred  her- 
meneutics,  and  theological  criticism"!  or  that  the 
demonstration  of  these  (inspired  furniture  though 
they  be)  should  be  constituted  in  part — and  no 
very  inconsiderable  part  either — by  the  result,  as- 
certained to  his  own  satisfaction  and  that  of  divers 
others  equally  or  homogeneously  wise,  that  the 
scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  contain  no  such 
divine  institution  as  the  sacrament  or  religious  ob- 
servance of  the  Lord's  supper  1  Soberly — if  nothing 
else  existed  in  my  knowledge  as  a  criterion  by 
which  to  stamp  fallacy  and  stupidity  on  their  claim 
of  inspiration,  I  should  not  hesitate,  as  a  man  and 
a  christian  and  a  minister  of  Christianity,  to  de- 
nounce the  pretension  of  Fox  and  all  his  retinue, 
as  equally  preposterous  in  reason,  monstrous  in  his- 
tory, and  deleterious  in  practice  !  Among  other  ill 
effects  of  the  abominable  whim  of  the  society  is 
this — to  degrade  all  inspiration  in  their  thoughts.  I 
never  saw  a  Quaker  who  could  be  held  with  a  text 
*of  scripture,  against  the  current  of  his  prejudices. 
Tell  them  of  what  is  declared  in  "  the  oracles  of 
God"  against  a  female  ministry,  and  they  will 
sometimes  say — "  O  that  was  only  the  opinion  of 


558 


Paul  /"  Was  it  \  How  convenient  for  garrulous 
dames  and  spinsters  of  the  society,  that  George 
could  furnish  them  with  a  counter  inspiration !  And 
what  if  Paul  was  inspired  to  deliver  to  the  church 
of  God  the  glorious  and  most  affecting  eucharist, 
the  Lord's  supper  1  The  answer  is  at  hand.  Since 
the  new  dispensation  of  the  weaver's  son,  George 
the  cordwainer,  of  Drayton  in  the  Clay,  Leicester- 
shire, the  spirituality  of  matters  hath  been  so  asto- 
nishingly improved,  so  "  clearly  seen  and  testified 
to,"  that  now  no  more  are  such  "  outward  things  of 
the  letter"  availing  or  obligatory.  This  George 
plainly  testifieth.  "  And  behold,"  saith  William 
Penn,  "  behold  the  blessed  man  and  men  that  were 
sent  of  God  in  this  excellent  work  and  service !" 
Truly  ordinary  reformers  and  iconoclasts  wore  cy- 
phers to  them.  Luther  was  not  inspired  ;  Melanc- 
thon  was  his  pupil  and  the  neophyte  of  his  instruc- 
tions ;  and  as  for  Calvin  and  Cranmer,  down  to 
Baxter,  Howe,  and  Jeremy  Taylor,  they  confessed 
their  knowledge  to  be  mainly  derived  from  the  de- 
vout application  of  their  powerful  minds  and  pon- 
derous scholarship  to  the  pages  of  a  book,  which, 
after  all,  they  knew  no  better  than  to  denominate, 
with  religious  and  complacential  awe,  the  word 
OF  God!  Hence  all  the  celebrated  chieftains  of  the 
church,  and  lights  of  former  ages,  from  whom  THE 
GLORIOUS  REFORMATION  under  God  re- 
sulted AND  ADVANCED,  with  all  our  peerless  pro- 
testant  immunities,  retire  aghast ;  their  fame  col- 
lapses and  their  brightness  dies,  in  contrast  with  the 
inspired  oracles  of  Quakerism — oracles  that  throw 


559 


their  collective  splendor  into  dim  obscurity,  before 
that  lucid  welkin  of  day  which  has  shone  upon  us 
so  ravishingly,  since  the  luminaries  of  the  inward 
light  have  favored  all  Christendom  with  their  in- 
spired discoveries  !  It  is  a  demonstrable  fact,  how- 
ever disgraceful  to  the  spirituality  of  all  the  wor- 
thies above  named  and  thousands  of  others  it  may 
possibly  appear,  it  is  nevertheless  a  fact  that  all  of 
them,  each  to  the  day  of  his  death,  remained  unde- 
livered from  the  serious  faith  of  the  divine  institu- 
tion of  the  supper !  Is  it  any  wonder  then  that  such 
lights  of  science, 

Sagacious  readers  of  the  works  of  God, 
And  in  his  word  sagacious, 

as  Bacon,  Lock,  Boyle,  Milton,  Newton,  and  their 
cotemporaries ;  not  to  mention  the  more  modern 
ones  of  Edwards,  Dwight,  Scott,  Hall,  Jay,  Chal- 
mers, and  others,  equally  splendid  in  the  world  of 
letters  and  in  the  firmament  of  piety  ;  is  it  any 
wonder  that  they  should  have  been  held  in  the  same 
persuasion  1  I  suspect,  however,  that  if  the  veil 
could  be  lifted  that  secretes  the  inefilible  glory, 
there  might  be  witnessed,  in  the  recollections  and 
the  praises  of  the  entire  celestial  host  of  ransomed 
men,  some  manifest  resemblance  to  the  eternal  ce- 
lebration, even  there,  of  the  same  ceremonial!  They 
have  all  "  washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore  are  they 
before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and 
night  in  his  temple  ;"  while  "  worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain,"  is  their  song. 


560 


If  any  Fnend  may  chance  to  read  this  book  as 
far  as  this,  and  cares  candidly  to  examine  the  scrip- 
tural evidence  in  the  case  ;  though  I  must  confess 
to  him  that  it  is  rather  "outward"  after  all;  I  do 
most  kindly  intreat  him,  notwithstanding  the  sport 
I  have  designedly  made  with  that  delirious  enthu- 
siast whom  he  so  religiously  reveres,  I  entreat  him 
candidly  to  consult  and  compare  the  following  scrip- 
tures— remarking,  that  they  are  only  a  few  of  many 
that  might  be  advanced  ;  and  that  the  whole  Bible, 
taken  as  one  complete  system  of  revealed  truth, 
teems  with  the  subject  from  beginning  to  end  ;  as 
eternity  also  does !  Matt.  26  :  26-30.  Mark,  14  : 
22-26.  Luke,  22  :  14-20.  Acts,  20  :  7.  1  Cor. 
5  :  7,  8.  10  :  15-22.  11  :  17-34.  Gal.  3  :  1.  Rev. 
3:20.    19:9.  22:12-15. 

Friends  ordinarily  say,  in  regard  to  the  alleged 
proof  of  scripture  ;  (1)  that  we  do  not  understand 
it ;  (2)  that  it  is  "  not  in  the  letter"  or  "outward 
act "  that  the  festival  is  to  be  celebrated  ;  (3)  that 
it  is  not  '•'  the  physical  blood  "  [what  other  kind  of 
blood  is  there  '!]  of  Christ  that  we  are  to  drink  ;  (4) 
that  it  is  all  spiritual,  and  in  the  heart  to  be  seen 
and  done  ;  (5)  that  possibly  the  apostles  might,  in 
tenderness  to  the  prejudices  of  the  jewish  converts, 
have  allowed  or  even  for  a  time  performed  it ;  (6) 
that  in  this  age,  however,  it  is  of  no  necessity  or 
use  ;  (7)  that  they  enjoy  sweet  communion  with  God 
apart  from  all  such  gross  and  visible  forms,  and 
withal  such  cumbrous  and  expensive  observances  ; 
(8)  that  symbols  and  outward  signs  are  childish  un- 
der the  gospel,  and  impede  rather  than  aid  puro 


561 


spiritual  enjoyment,  which  dehghts  iu  freedom  and 
abstraction ;  (9)  that  there  is  real  elevation  and 
sublimity  in  their  spiritual  way  of  keeping  the  feast ; 

(10)  that  one  can  scarcely  imagine  what  horrid  per- 
secutions, malignant  superstitions,  and  bloody  wars, 
have  been  occasioned  by  those  "  outward  "  things ; 

(11)  that  they  know  by  happy  experience  every  way 
the  superiority  of  the  manner  of  Friends ;  (12) 
that  it  was  only  the  Jewish  passover  that  the  Savior 
attended  "  the  same  night  in  which  he  was  be- 
trayed ;"  (13)  that  there  he  spoke  only  inciden- 
tally, as  it  were,  and  hence  only  one  of  the  evange- 
lists records  it,  the  order  which  modern  professors 
so  superstitiously  over-rate.  Do  this  in  remem- 
brance OF  ME  ;  (14)  that  we  ought  to  celebrate  the 
pediluvium  or  feet-washing,  to  take  young  children, 
in  our  arms  and  put  our  hands  on  them  and  bless 
them,  or  to  mimic  any  other  public  action  of  the 
Savior  in  a  religious  way  and  "  in  remembrance  of 
him,"  as  well  and  as  much  as  to  celebrate  "often  " 
the  festival  of  "  the  Lord's  supper ;"  and  (15)  that 
there  can  be  no  conceivable  sense  or  religious  pro- 
fit in  eating  a  crumb  of  bread  and  sipping  a  few 
drops  of  wine,  now  and  then,  and  calling  the  super- 
stitious custom  an  act  of  piety  and  worship,  well 
pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God  ;  v/hich  all  that  are 
enlightened  in  their  waij  know  much  better  how  to 
appreciate  as  it  deserves. 

O  lux  Bardaniae  !  spes  o  fidissima  Teucrum  ! — Viro. 

O  light  most  trusty,  excellent,  and  wise  ; 
How  liappy  they  who  see  it  with  their  eyes  ! 
71 


562 


O  light  transcendent,  most  benignant  light — 
No  wonder  learned  sages  grope  in  night ! 

Once  I  actually  believed  in  precise  coincidence 
with  their  views  :  and  I  know  that  many,  or  perhaps 
all,  of  them,  "  verily  think  "  the  synopsis,  substan- 
tially as  I  have  given  it  above,  is  truth.  God  forbid 
that  I  should  charge  them  with  duplicity  and  hypo- 
crisy, as  if  they  were  practising  for  wordly  ends  a 
known  system  of  imposture  !  God  is  my  witness 
that  I  love  their  persons  and  their  souls ;  and  that 
in  the  spirit  of  love  I  have  written  the  severest 
things,  if  such  there  are,  in  this  treatise.  But  I 
have  deliberately  ridiculed  their  fundamental  fan- 
cies— because  it  seems  as  if  sober  argument  would 
less  affect  or  expose  their  follies.  This  is  my  mo- 
tive— and  nothing  which  they  can  say  will  deepen,  I 
assure  them,  the  sense  I  now  have  of  accountability 
at  "  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ."  My  reasons  are 
already  given  for  thinking  irony  and  even  sarcasm 
sometimes  proper  and  in  place,  even  in  sacred  mat- 
ters. Aeternitate  pingo :  my  interests  in  time  are 
few,  and  fast  receding. 

What  I  have  yet  to  offer,  as  it  respects  scripture 
evidence  of  the  divine  institution  of  "  the  Lord's 
supper,''  shall  be  confined  mainly  to  a  passage 
already  referred  to,  1  Cor.  11  :  17-34.  All  the 
postulate  that  I  here  propose  is — 1.  That  this  pas- 
sage contains  truth,  and  that  it  is  contradicted  con- 
sequently by  no  other  truth  in  the  Bible  or  the 
universe ;  2.  That  if  it  puts  down,  contradicts, 
utterly  refutes  the  whole  synopsis  aforesaid,  the 


563 


views  of  Friends  are  equally  nullified,  and  the  folly 
of  their  assumed  inspiration  proved.  It  was  this 
very  passage  that  first  killed  my  own  stupid  dotage 
on  the  subject  :  and  it  would  do  the  same  ser- 
vice for  any  other  educated  and  sincerely  believ- 
ing Friend,  if  he  would  only  dare  to  "  come  to  the 
light"  of  its  plain  and  certain  sense,  soundly  and 
yet  palpably  interpreted.  With  as  much  confidence 
as  ever  Friend  possessed,  and  infinitely  better  evi- 
dence than  they  ordinarily  command,  I  declare  that 
this  simple  passage  ruins  their  whole  system ;  and 
that  it  is  false,  as  by  consequence  Christianity  is 
false  too  and  all  inspiration  false,  if  their  system  is 
true.  Unless  a  Friend  will  admit,  for  example,  the 
possibility  that  this  passage  may  condemn  his  views, 
he  is  NOT  a  candid  inquirer ;  if  he  will,  let  him  can- 
didly inquire — and  the  result  will  ensue.  To  pre- 
judge may  be  imcard  light;  but  it  is  not  honesty. 
"  He  that  doeth  truth,  cometh  to  the  light,  that  his 
deeds  may  be  made  manifest  that  they  are  wrought 
in  God."    Or,  let  Friends  beware  of  "  the  light," 

if  they  wish  to  remain  Friends  !    I  know  of  no 

better  way.  It  is  simply  a  mode  of  that  way — to 
fix  their  orbs  of  vision  wholly  within! 

I  submit  the  following  observations  on  it. 

1.  It  was  no  impalpable  spirituality,  such  as 
Friends  arrogate.  There  were  sensible  elements 
in  the  feast,  called  "bread"  and  the  "cup  of  the 
Lord  ;"  and  these  connected  with  the  actions  of 
"  taking  and  eating  and  drinking,"  what  is  called 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  "  the  Lord's  supper,"  and  sym- 
bolically "  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord." 


5G4 


2.  It  was  instituted,  however,  not  to  satisfy  the  ap- 
petites; but  for  religious  ends.  "What!  have  ye 
not  houses  to  eat  and  to  drink  in  1" 

3.  It  was  abused  by  the  Corinthians,  for  which 
they  are  sharply  rebuked,  though  the  institution 
itself  is  not  revoked  on  account  of  it.  20-22. 

4.  The  abuse  itself  demonstrates  the  fallacy  of 
the  etherial  view.  "  For  in  eating  every  one  taketh 
before  other  his  own  supper :  and  one  is  hungry, 
AND  ANOTHER  IS  DRUNKEN."  Did  this  abuse  ever 
occur  at  a  Friend's  communion-table — in  the  heart  1 
Were  spirituality  and  abstraction  ever  capable  of 
an  abuse  of  the  sort  1  If  there  had  been  no  bread 
to  eat,  and  no  wine  to  drink,  and  no  bona  fide  table 
spread,  and  no  service  palpable  to  the  senses  per- 
formed, how  could  the  perversion  occur'?  a  perver- 
sion so  great  that  the  apostle  declares  it  was  "  the 
Lord's  table  "  no  longer,  to  such  an  one,  but  "  his 
own  supper  !  One  is  hungry  and  another  is  drunk- 
en." Why'?  Because  they  "sat  still,"  and  consi- 
dered, and  enjoyed  "  inward"  communion'?  What 
scandalous  impudence  does  it  require,  in  the  nine- 
teenth century,  to  assert  any  such  thing!  What 
mental  sottishness  or  romanizing  servility  to  be- 
lieve it ! 

5.  Does  the  apostle  annul  the  observance  or  drop 
one  disparaging  inuendo  against  it,  because  of  the 
evils  it  had  already  occasioned  '?  Just  the  contrary. 
He  assures  them  of  its  sanctity  ;  exhorts  them  to 
prepare  for  it;  27,  28,  threatens  them  with  "judg- 
ment "  for  their  abuses  ;  surrounds  it  with  the  high- 
est sanctions  in  the  universe  ;  29,  and  declares  its 


565 


perpetuity  to  the  end  of  time.  26.  He  declares  also 
the  propriety  of  its  frequent  observance.  In  all 
grave  discourse,  the  comparative  implies  the  posi- 
tive. "  As  often  "  as  ye  do  it,  implies  that  it  is 
'*  often  "  to  be  done  ;  and  other  evidence  of  the 
word  of  God  proves  that  it  was  ordinarily  observed 
every  week,  on  "  the  Lord's  day,"  by  primitive  be- 
lievers. Besides  ;  it  characterized  the  acts  of  as- 
sembling. The  church  "  came  together  to  eat 
33,  '•'  to  break  bread,"  &c.    Acts,  20  :  7. 

6.  Their  abuse  of  it  had  brought  down  on  them  al- 
ready the  divine  Judgments  of  sickness  and  prema- 
ture death,  in  many  instances.  "  Foil  this  cause 
many  are  weak  and  sickly  among  you,  and  many 
sleep."  Christians  were  cut  off  judicially,  as  Moses 
was,  for  an  example  to  others  ;  although  it  was  well 
with  them  in  the  end  or  rather  after  it.  There  was 
an  epidemic  at  Corinth,  on  account  of  this  abuse  of 
the  Lord's  supper,  and  "  many"  were  afflicted  with 
it,  even  unto  death.  I  have  no  doubt  at  all  that  mo- 
dern pestilences,  and  remarkable  instances  of  wan- 
ing health  and  sudden  or  untimely  death,  may  often 
have  a  relation  to  a  similar  abuse,  which  ought  to 
make  us  all  "  examine  ourselves."  To  contemn 
the  death  of  Christ  is  to  defy  our  own.  "  For  if  wo 
•  would  judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  be  judged." 
Our  health  and  life  are  held  absolutely  in  the  hand 
of  God. 

Friends  will  here  probably  smile.  And  why  1 
Because  they  spiritualize  the  words  "  sickly,  weak, 
sleep,"  and  so  forth.  I  only  say,  smile  on.  I  did 
not  undertake  this  treatise,  to  pursue  the  serpent  of 


566 


error  through  every  sinuosity  of  his  labyrinth  ;  or 
the  soaring  genius  of  presumption  through  all  the 
sublimities  of  its  flight.  By  literalizing  or  spirit- 
ualizing one  or  the  other,  as  suits  them,  they  often 
succeed,  with  great  sincerity  and  some  specious- 
ness,  in  evading  the  truth. 

7.  The  great  end  for  which  "the  Lord's  Supper" 
was  instituted  is  here  declared:  to  "show  the 
Lord's  death  till  he  come."  His  second  coming 
in  the  end  of  time  is  here  referred  to  demonstrably. 
The  interval  then  is  to  be  occupied  in  his  church  by 
commemorating  his  death  and  anticipating  his  last 
advent.  If  the  death  of  Christ  be  a  matter  of  in- 
finite importance  and  glory ;  if  God  and  man  are 
both  incalculably  interested  in  it ;  if  it  was  expect- 
ed in  prophecy,  prefigured  in  rites  and  types  and 
sacrifices,  desired  and  respected  in  the  worship  of 
the  ancients  since  infant  time  ;  if  from  everlasting 
it  entered  into  the  all-wise  scheme  of  God  that  his 
Son  should  thus  "die,  the  just  for  the  unjust;"  if 
he  "  verily  was  fore-ordained  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world,  but  was  manifest  in  these  last  times 
for  us,"  as  "  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without 
spot,"  that  "with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ"  we 
might  be  "redeemed  ;"  if  these  things  are  true  ;  if 
the  crucified  Savior  is  the  centre  and  the  sun  of 
the  redemption  system,  around  whom  all  other  lus- 
tres revolve  dependent  and  tributary  ;  I  can  see  a 
little  of  "  the  manifold  wisdom,"  and  the  manifest 
condescension  of  God,  in  the  enactment  of  "  the 
supper  of  the  Lamb." 


567 


"  Glory  be  to  God  who  gave  us, 
Freely  gave  his  Son  to  save  us  ; 
"  Glory  to  the  Son  who  came  !" 

Suppose  Friends  had  always  understood,  profess- 
ed, and  honored  "  the  Lord's  Supper,"  as  we  main- 
tain that  God  here  requires  them  to  do  ;  would  it 
ever  have  become  questionable — to  use  no  sterner 
word — whether  they  were  infidels  or  not  \  Whe- 
ther their  preachers  knew  the  simplest  characteris- 
tic elements  of  Christianity  or  not  1  Would  such  a 
schism  on  cardinal  points,  as  now  exists  among 
them,  ever  have  probably  occurred  1  Still,  possibly 
it  might ;  as  we  have  reason  to  know. 

Look  at  2  Cor.  5  :  18-21,  and  see  what  a  centre 
it  occupies,  and  what  a  circumference  it  fills,  in  the 
high  diplomacy  of  the  ambassadors  of  Jesus  Christ. 
"  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  (or  atoning)  the 
world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses 
unto  them."  This  is  the  grand  fact  of  Christianity. 
The  proposition  refers  to  the  crucifixion.  What  a 
scene  !  How  dark,  inscrutable,  portentous  !  All 
nature  sympathizes  and  sickens.  The  heavens  are 
bathed  in  darkness.  A  night,  terrific  and  unnatu- 
ral, hangs  on  the  firmanent.  The  sun  suffers  an 
unwonted  eclipse  or  retires  in  deepest  shades  ;  and 
day  dies  too.  And  "Jesus,  when  he  had  cried 
again  with  a  loud  voice,  yielded  up  the  ghost.  And 
behold,  the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom  ;  and  the  earth  did 
quake,  and  the  rocks  rent ;  and  the  graves  were 
opened,  and  many  bodies  of  the  saints  that  slept, 


568 


arose."  Who  can  interpret  a  scene  like  this  ?  Is 
the  universe  confounded '!  Are  the  dead  and  the 
living  changing  places  \  But  greater  are  the  moral 
wonders  than  the  natural.  Behold  that  sufferer  on 
the  cross,  midmost  of  the  three  !  There  is  inno- 
cence, perfect,  stainless,  unparalleled  innocence  ! 
tSee  that  ibrm  !  The  hands  and  feet  stream  blood. 
The  head  is  bowed  in  death.  Why  was  it  so  I 
Was  heaven  conscious  of  the  mutiny  that  bore  him 
olf^  Why  did  not  God  prevent  it  1  Why  did  not 
"  ten  legions  of  angels,"  the  armed  soldiery  of  the 
heavens,  Luke,  2  :  13,  Tviyjdog  arpanag  ovpaviov,  in- 
terpose for  his  rescue  1  Is  it  a  crisis  beyond  the 
reach  of  providence,  a  dilemma  too  terrible  for  the 
wisdom  of  God  I  Is  it  the  unmanageable  uproar 
of  hell ;  and  is  all  creation  flying  off  from  the  Crea- 
tor 1  Is  there  no  virtue,  no  power  in  the  universe, 
equal  to  the  exigency  1  Or,  is  sin  culminating  above 
the  throne  of  God,  and  menacing  the  catastrophe 
of  all  things  1  Hark  !  a  voice,  and  an  inspired  one, 
solves  the  mystery  forever.    "  God  was  in  Christ 

RECONCILI^'G  THE  WOULD  UNTO  HIMSELF,  NOT  IMPUT- 
ING THEIR  TRESPASSES   UNTO  THEM."     The  plot  is 

now  developed  ;  the  tragedy  performed.  Surely 
wo  ought  to  "  be  reconciled  to  God,"  who  gives 
such  demonstration  that  he  is  cordially  willing  to 
be  reconciled  to  us.  "Only  acknowledge  thine  ini- 
quity, that  thou  hast  transgressed  against  the  Lord 
thy  God  :"  saith  the  prophet.  Truly  he  will  "not 
impute  iniquity"  to  us  who  believe  in  his  name, 
since  he  has  imputed  it  to  one  who  died  for  us. 
"  For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew 


569 


no  sin  ;  that  wo  might  be  made  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him." 

All  was  willing,  love  inspired  it ; 
Jesus  chose  it ;  God  required  it ; 

Love  the  prompter,  love  the  spring  : 
Who  was  injured  by  the  measure  1 
He  whose  love  esteemed  it  pleasure  ? 

He  who  chose  the  suffering  ? 

I  should  hke  to  see  the  christian  who  thinks  such 
benefit  as  this  deserves  not  to  be  commemorated 
appropriately,  and  in  all  its  affecting  and  glorious 
implications,  to  the  end  of  time.  "  The  Lord's 
death " — what  an  expression  !    "  For  as  often 

AS  YE  EAT  THIS  BREAD,  AND  DRINK  THIS  CUP,  YE  DO 

SHOW  THE  LORD'S  DEATH  till  he  come." 
Consequently, 

8.  Paul  instituted  it  at  Corinth  originally, 
when  he  there  first  "  planted  "  the  gospel.  Co- 
rinth was  from  Jerusalem  about  one  thousand  miles. 
When  Paul  entered  that  voluptuous  metropolis  of 
idolatry  and  heathenism,  his  future  converts  were 
"  gentiles  carried  away  after  dumb  idols  even  as 
they  were  led."  Here  he  built  on  no  other  man's 
foundation  ;  but  "  as  a  wise  master-builder  he  laid 
the  foundation  "  himself  What  a  fair  field  for  the 
etherial  spirituality  of  Quakerism  !  He  could  now 
have  instituted  "silent  meetings,"  a  female  ministry, 
and  a  most  impalpable  worship  ;  without  sacraments, 
ordinances,  instruction,  or  forms  of  any  kind.  He 
could  have  told  them  of  "  the  seed,  the  life,  the 
principle,  the  fund  of  the  soul,  the  silence  of  all 

72 


570 


flesh,"  and  all  that  heathen  nonsense — if  his  inspi- 
ration had  only  been  identical  with  that  of  Fox. 
Instead  of  all  this  counterfeit  imposture,  he  preach- 
ed to  them  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ ;" 
tauffht  them  to  render  "  thanks  to  God  for  his  un- 
speakable  gift" — by  which  he  meant  (not  the  in- 
ward light,  but)  the  gift  of  his  Son  to  die  for  us ; 
instituted  baptism  and  "  the  Lord's  supper,"  and 
adverts  to  the  circumstance  that  he  had  so  done, 
when  he  blames  them  for  the  sin  of  abusing  so  sa- 
cred and  precious  a  favor.  This  he  asserts,  and  at 
the  same  time, 

9.  He  solemnly  testifies  the  divine  authenticity  of 
the  ordinance.  "  For  I  have  received  of  the 
Lord,  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you,  that 
the  Lord  Jesus,  the  same  night  in  which  he  was 
betrayed,  took  bread,"  &c.  Not  only  did  Paul  en- 
act it  at  Corinth,  but  this  he  did  as  the  result  of 
special  revelation  before  received  from  the  Lord. 
Paul  never  saw  Christ  in  the  days  of  his  flesh.  He 
saw  him  indeed  by  miraculous  apparition  after  the 
Lord  was  glorified.  The  Savior  appeared  to  him 
on  purpose ;  told  him  of  this  institution ;  and  or- 
dered him  to  erect,  honor,  explain  it,  in  his  church. 
Is  this  true  1  Then  what  a  fiction  is  Quakerism  ! 
What  a  synopsis  of  errors  do  their  reasonings  fur- 
nish !  How  wild  and  jaundiced  are  their  "  views  " 
in  religion! 

10.  The  order,  "  This  do  in  remejibrance 
OF  ME,"  is  here  amplified  and  confirmed.  It  is 
repeated  TWICE  by  Paul ;  once  after  either  ele- 
ment. Of  what  avail  is  it  for  infidelity  in  drab 
now  to  insinuate,  that  it  was  spoken  incidentally  ? 


571 


that  it  occurs  in  Luke  alone,  and  that  v^e  estimate 
its  importance  extravagantly  1  Is  not  the  inspira- 
tion of  Paul  as  good  as  that  of  Luke  1  Neither  of 
them  was  present  at  the  scene ;  but  were  they  both 
inspired  1  Then  is  their  testimony  one,  and  that 
the  testimony  not  of  man  but  of  God.  Has  God 
then  changed  his  mind  since  Quakerism  arose  to 
arrogate  its  oraculous  interpretation  I  Has  he  as- 
certained by  experience,  that  his  original  plan  of 
perpetuating  these  blessed  memorials  till  the  end 
of  the  world,  and  the  second  coming  of  our  glorious 
Redeemer,  was  too  defective  and  short-sighted  to 
be  sustained  1  O  Quakerism  !  "how  long  wilt  thou 
not  cease  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord  1 
And  now  behold,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  upon 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  blind,  not  seeing  the  sun  !" 

I  call  heaven  and  earth  to  witness  that  Quaker- 
ism IS  NOT  CHRISTIANITY :  and  while  as  a  witness  I 
testify  against  them,  in  the  name  of  my  own  glorious 
Master,  I  ask  all  men  to  tell  what  are  their  protes- 
tations worth  of  respect  for  the  scriptures  1  The 
Bible  is  the  word  of  God,  and  it  will  be  highest 
or — under  foot !  It  is  paramount  or  nothing. 

Through  faith  ho  [Moses]  kept  the  passover,  and 
the  sprinkling  of  blood,  lest  he  that  destroyed  the 
first-born  should  touch  them.  Heb.  11  :  28.  Ye 
are  come — to  the  blood  of  sprinkling.  Heb.  12  :  24. 
For  even  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us  : 
therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast.    1  Cor.  5  :  7,  8. 

Do  Friends  object,  that  the  use  of  such  obser- 
vances after  all  does  not  appear  1  I  answer,  That 
is  not  the  question.  It  is  simply— are  they  divinely 


572 


instituted  1  If  they  are,  then  their  obligation  in- 
stantly results  ;  and  that  whether  we  can  see  the 
wisdom  of  them  or  not.  But  perhaps  a  number  of 
uses  may  be  discerned,  even  by  us.  They  are  di- 
vinely appointed  badges  of  subjection  to  the  gospel ; 
and  as  such  they  discriminate  appropriately  the  vi- 
sible disciples  and  family  of  Christ,  methinks  that 
one  of  their  uses  appears  just  now :  they  serve  to 
detect  a  certain  spurious  Christianity  that  would 
pass  current  for  divine  !  they  expose  a  sui  generis 
style  of  piety  that  pretends  a  more  perfect  intimacy 
with  God,  while  it  despises  them  !  they  demonstrate 
the  temper  of  Quakerism. 

The  sacraments  are  a  plain  and  divinely  insti- 
tuted test  of  our  obedience.  They  are  like  "  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil ;"  that  is, 
the  tree  that  gives  knowledge,  or  makes  known, 
or  indicates,  or  stands  as  a  test,  "  in  the  midst  of 
the  garden."  God  has  employed  such  outward  and 
easy  indices  of  piety  from  the  beginning.  Only,  the 
primitive  tree  condemned  them  that  touched  it,  and 
ordered  men  away :  these  condemn  them  that  ne- 
glect it,  and  order  men  to  approach  "  with  a  true 
heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts 
sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies 
washed  with  pure  water."  I  knew  one  compara- 
tively eminent  preacher  of  the  society,  who  used  to 
say,  in  his  public  communications,  something  of 
this  sort ;  showing  that  his  convictions  were  at  least 
lamed  and  limping  with  an  half-perception  of  the 
sense  of  scripture  on  the  article  ;  "  However, 
Friends,  let  every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his 


573 


own  mind.  Some  that  go  to  these  outward  sacra- 
ments are,  I  doubt  not,  sincere.  It  is  as  far  as  they 
see  ;  and  I  would  not  condemn  them.  But  for  one, 
and  for  me,  I  can  say  that  it  appears  not  required  !" 
Alas  !  more  inspiration  !  Is  it  then  "required  "  of 
others  1  and  not  of  him  1  Where  has  God  issued  a 
dispensation  for  rebels  of  the  society  I  God  does 
-not  require  it  of  some  !  Does  he  then  require  it  of 
others  1  What !  and  license  some  to  disobey  his 
own  ordinances  ;  that  is,  license  some  to  sin  against 
his  authority,  to  depose  the  Lawgiver  of  the  uni- 
verse, and  erect  George  Fox  in  his  place  1  "  It  is 
not  required  of  me  !"  What  a  discovery  I  He  is  to 
be  excused  from  the  family-table  of  the  children  of 
God!  absolved  from  the  duties,  and  yet  instated 
in  the  privileges  of  salvation  !  Nay,  privileged  sub- 
lime to  ride  in  the  car  of  his  own  lucid  imaginings, 
"  above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  worship- 
ped." And  why  is  he  so  privileged  1  Plainly  because 
of  his  attainments.  Paul  was  a  dwarf,  a  pigmy,  a 
babe,  to  him !  What  a  pity  he  had  not  lived  about 
eighteen  centuries  earlier ;  the  whole  college  of 
apostles  and  evangelists  might  have  gone  to  school 
to  him  !  Seriously — I  knew  the  man,  and  respected 
him.  He  used  to  say  in  my  hearing  many  sound 
and  good  things.  I  am  as  far  from  being  his  foe, 
or  his  personal  contemner,  as  I  am  from  believing 
his  system.  My  heart  pities  his  memory!  He  knows 
better  now.  Eternity  has  taught  him  the  truth — I 
even  hope  in  Christ  to  his  exceeding  and  eternal 
joy,  as  well  as  to  his  wonderful  correction  and  re- 
form !    I  so  hope,  however,  not  on  account  of  his 


574 


Quakerism,  but  in  spite  of  it ;  and  submit  the  ques- 
tion to  God. 

Say  the  apostles  of  the  Lamb,  "  We  are  of  God. 
He  that  knoweth  God,  heareth  us ;  he  that  is  not 
of  God,  heareth  not  iis.  Hereby  know  we  the  spirit 
of  truth  and  the  spirit  of  error."  By  the  christian 
sacraments,  I  think,  the  spirit  of  Quakerism  may 
be  known.  In  their  crucible,  its  gold  comes  out 
dross.  It  is  "  the  spirit  of  error."  And  if"  error" 
betokens  a  congenial  "  spirit,"  it  is  not  innocent. 

But  while  Friends  retrench  all  the  ordinances  of 
Christianity,  they  perpetuate  their  own.  Plain  lan- 
guage, plain  dress,  and  plain  address,  are  their 
three  sacraments.  The  pope  has  seven  :  Christianity 
only  ttco.  Theirs  are  the  badges,  however,  not  of 
Christianity,  but  of  Quakerism.  They  indicate 
only — a  Friend.  I  believe  they  are  absolutely  anti- 
christian.  Who  ever  commanded  such  things?  "Nei- 
ther shall  they  wear  a  rough  garment  to  deceive." 
See  Zechariah,  13.  OJ^with  Dr.  Scott's  notes.  The 
subject  is  almost  too  low  and  disgusting  to  treat 
seriously.  I  will,  however,  briefly  examine  some  of 
their  positions,  in  a  style  free,  perhaps  colloquial. 

As  to  plain  language,  they  say,  that  it  is  gram- 
matical, as  ours  is  not ;  that  it  is  scriptural ;  that 
ours  originated  in  pride,  and  therefore  ought  not  to 
be  upheld  ;  that  if  Friends  do  not  maintain  singu- 
larity in  these  things,  they  will  be  more  in  danger 
of  losing  their  distinctive  character  and  mingling 
with  the  world  ;  that  their  plainness  restrains,  in  a 
salutary  way,  their  youth  and  others  ;  and  that  the 
Master  wore  a  seamless  coat. 


575 


The  pretence  of  a  grammatical  conscience,  is  ra- 
ther ridiculous  ;  especially  when  all  their  correct- 
ness regards  the  number  only  ;  for  notoriously  they 
abuse  the  case  and  person  more  than  others — How 
does  thee  do  1  Let  us  parse  it  at  our  leisure  ;  remem- 
bering that  it  is  a  sample  of  their  address  to  one 
individual,  in  the  second  person  ;  a  specimen  of 
their  common  mode  of  conversation.  Docs  is  not 
second  person  at  all  !  thee  is  in  the  objective,  not 
nominative  case — what  governs  it"?  and  there  is  no 
nominative  in  the  sentence  for  the  verb  does  do  I 
Instead  of  How  doest  thou  ?  which  they  almost  ne- 
ver say  ;  and  instead  of  Hoic  are  you  ?  which  the 
world's  people  say  :  they  conscientiously  say,  all  for 
the  sake  of  grammar,  How  does  thee  do  ?  Is  thee 
going  out  to-day  1  Will  thee  ride  ? 

With  Friends  it  seems  a  good  saying  for  polemi- 
cal ejSect,  to  allege  its  scriptural  character.  But  is 
this  valid  in  their  service  1  (1)  There  is  nothing 
analogous  in  the  fact.  When  the  Bible  was  writ- 
ten, the  comparatively  modern  usage,  that  makes 
the  singular  and  plural  one  in  addressing  an  indi- 
vidual, or  rather  substitutes  the  latter  for  the  former, 
was  unknown  to  all  languages  :  at  least  no  such 
use  obtained  on  earth  as  that  now  almost  universal. 
Consequently,  there  was  only  one  way.  If  the 
same  state  of  things  had  then  existed,  which  now 
exists  touching  the  matter,  and  the  scripture  had 
then  employed  the  singular  alone,  and  laid  great 
stress  on  the  observance,  where  all  the  world  used 
the  plural  ;  and  if  the  scripture  had  so  made  itself 
singular  on  the  point,  the  case  would  have  been, 


576 


as  now  it  is  not,  worthy  of  citation.    (2)  An  argu- 
ment from  their  "  secondary  rule  "  always  seems 
like  condescension  in  them  ;  a  conformity  to  our 
way.  If  we  only  had  an  inspired  sentence  in  the  af- 
fair, as  Fox  said  he  had  when  his  conscience  and  his 
preaching  stickled  on  the  article  so  pertinaciously, 
it  might  be  vastly  convenient ;  for  then  we  should 
know.    But  (3)  if  Friends  go  to  the  scripture,  let 
them  honor  the  whole  precedent.    "  And  Abraham 
bowed  himself  to  the  people  of  the  land,  even  to 
the  children  of  Heth.    And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes 
and  looked,  and  lo,  three  men  stood  by  him :  and 
when  he  saw  them,  he  ran  to  meet  them  from  the 
tent-door,  and  bowed  himself  toward  the  ground." 
Abraham  was  a  gentleman  ;  a  man  of  good  man- 
ners, who  thought  it  right,  by  customary  indica- 
tions, to  express  outwardly  his  inward  regard  for 
others.    So  was  Paul ;  so  were  all  the  saints  of 
scripture.   "  Most  excellent  Theophilns.   I  am  not 
mad,  most  noble  Festus  :"  which  last  was  spoken 
to  a  heathen  and  a  profligate  magistrate,  out  of  re- 
spect to  his  station  and  office  in  society.  "  Be  cour- 
teous :  in  honor  preferring  one  another  ;  honor  all 
men  ;  honor  the  king  ;  pay  ye  tribute  also,"  a  mili- 
tarij  tax  or  impost  to  a  military  and  heathen  empe- 
ror !  !    "  Render  to  all  their  dues  :  honor  to  whom 
honor."    But  citations  endless  might  be  made  to 
show  that  ill  manners,  rudeness,  voluntary  awk- 
wardness, a  studious  plainness  of  demeanor,  gra- 
tuitous singularity,  refusing  all  sensible  expressions 
of  respect  for  others,  the  utmost  formality  in  op- 
posing all  forms,  and  the  like  notions,  are  entirely 


577 


unlike  the  scriptural  way.  Acts,  16:  30.  27:  10,21, 
25.  1  Pet.  3:6.;  I  believe  they  are  often  the  mere 
cloak  of  elements  as  unlovely  as  spite,  envy,  sordid 
feeling,  pride,  ignorance,  bigotry,  and  very  much 
of  bad  habits  and  ill  breeding :  and  that  all  these 
things  are  precisely  contrary  to  the  temper  and 
manners  of  the  gospel. 

Now  suppose  I  grant,  what  Penn  especially  so 
much  asserts,  that  the  plural  form  originated  in 
pride — what  of  it  ?  Is  not  usage  the  arbiter  of  lan- 
guage, and  has  it  now  any  such  affinity  ? 

 usus 

Quern  penes  arbitrium  est  et  jus  et  norma  loquendi. — Ho«. 

With  usage  is  the  dynasty  of  speech  ; 

Its  power  and  right,  its  rule  and  sense,  to  teach. 

Besides,  it  is  wretched  casuistry,  passing  over  the 
nature  and  utility  of  a  thing,  to  reject  it,  because,  by 
burrowing  into  antiquity,  it  may  appear  that  some- 
body introduced  it  in  connection  with  a  matter  of  mis- 
chief, or  from  an  evil  motive.  The  position  proves 
too  much.  It  proves  that  the  word  solcmn^^  and  a 
thousand  others  ought  never  to  be  used  in  christian 
worship.  It  proves  that  one  ought  conscientiously 
to  differ  from  universal  usage  in  any  thing,  whose 
origin  appears,  on  thorough  and  learned  inquest,  to 
have  been  connected  with  evil,  or  which  was  intro- 
duced from  a  bad  motive.  This  would  retrench  for 
for  us  a  multitude  of  innocent  usages.  On  a  more 
enlightened  principle  have  Friends  acted  in  one  in- 
stance at  least — in  adopting  the  title  of  Quaker. 

73 


o;8 

Its  good  origin  is  more  than  questionable.  Gervas 
Bennet,  Esq.  the  Derbyshire  justice,  (none  the  bet- 
ter he  for  the  good  origin,  Benedict,  blessed,  which 
his  surname  certainly  had,)  gave  it  to  them  in  1650, 
from  motives  which  Friends  would  have  to  take 
leave  of  their  inspiration  before  they  could  refer  to 
a  good  origin.  Well,  let  us  see.  The  inquisition 
is  evil ;  indulgences  are  no  better  ;  the  crusades 
were  not  very  good;  the  institution  of  cardinals  is 
bad  enough  :  and  all  these  papal  evils,  from  no  good 
motive,  were  introduced  within  about  a  century  of 
each  other,  some  six  or  seven  hundred  years  ago, 
in  the  midnight  of  the  dark  ages.  We  have  all 
heard  of  the  dignity  and  "  eminence"  indicated  by 
a  cardinal's  hat,  and  of  the  farcical  ceremony  of  its 
presentation.  It  is  a  large  umbrageous  broad-brim, 
whose  associations  of  venerableness,  since  first  in- 
troduced into  England,  have  bordered  broadly  upon 
sacred,  in  the  estimate  of  our  ancestors.  Hence  the 
almost  instinctive  awe  which  some  of  us  have  for 
such  a  religious  covering  of  the  head  mascuUne.  It 
is  questionable  if  any  other  cope  or  canopy  of  the 
kind  indicates  as  much  piety  and  wisdom  and  ven- 
erableness. Antiquarians  tell  us  that  previously 
there  were  no  hats  in  England,  Scotland,  or  Ireland, 
of  that  expressive,  right  reverend,  and  most  patri- 
archal cut  and  fashion.  Besides,  they  have  ano- 
ther advantage — the  instinctive  associations  of  in- 
fallibility !  It  is  all  owing  to  a  proud  origin  that 
such  hats  appear  even  in  our  own  days.  But  will 
Friends  insist  that  they  are  intrinsically  wicked  ;  and 
call  every  man  a  caudinal  that  appears  abroad  so 


579 


qualified  ;  and  suspect  an  inoffensive  citizen  possi- 
bly, of  a  treasonable  league  with  the  tyrant  of 
Rome,  either  prospective  as  a  candidate  or  consum- 
mate as  an  ally,  should  he  be  seen  in  the  street  per- 
ambulating, under  the  dignified  circumference  of 
such  a  worthy  conservatory Broad-brims,  for 
aught  I  know,  are  as  innocent  as  umbrellas  ;  if  not 
of  the  same  species.  They  are  very  innoxious 
things  ;  and  for  the  life  of  me,  I  cannot  see  the  ma- 
lignity intrinsical,  resulting  simply  from  the  evil 
origin  they  unquestionably  had  !  I  confess  that  I 
always  think  of  a  cardinal  astrut,  when  I  meet  a 
specimen  of  very  large  dimensions  ;  although  it 
differs  in  color  entirely  from  the  canonical  one,  and 
although  its  owner  may  be  too  solemn  in  his  con- 
templations to  think  or  mean  any  such  thing.  But 
I  pass  to  another  illustration.  Shaving  the  beard 
certainly  originated  in  pride.  It  is  a  comparatively 
modern  custom,  wholly  unscriptural — so  far  as  ge- 
neral precedent  extends  ;  2  Sam.  ]  0,  and  was  in- 
vented notoriously  by  the  exquisites  and  petit-mai- 
tres  of  a  by-gone  age.  When  first  introduced,  it 
was  scouted  as  fantastical,  effeminate  and  unnatu- 
ral, degrading  and  unmanly  ;  and  to  this  day  some 
of  us  know,  by  our  conformity  to  the  degenerate 
custom,  that  it  is  expensive,  time-consuming,  trou- 
blesome, and  often  painful.  Still,  Friends  them- 
selves are  all  in  that  'outward'  observance.  On 
their  own  principle,  it  is  very  unspiritual,  to  say  the 
least  of  it !  Is  it  not  a  useless  conformity  too  to 
"  the  way  of  the  world's  people  f    What  an  evil 


580 


origin  it  had !  With  how  many  is  it  a  toilet  busi- 
ness of  pride  and  vanity  and  wasted  time  ! 

That  we  ought  to  be  singular  gratuitously,  sin- 
gular for  its  own  sake,  is  a  sentiment  fit  for  the 
creed  of  misanthropy  alone.  I  consider  it  an  evil 
to  differ  from  any  man  on  any  subject.  Plainly  I  do 
it  only  because  on  some  points  it  is  a  greater  evil 
not  to  differ.  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself,"  is  the  rule.  "  And  who  is  my  neighbor  1" 
Answer — any  one  whom  you  can  benefit  or  injure ; 
any  man  who  is  related  to  you  in  any  proximate 
way  :  a  Jew,  if  you  are  a  Samaritan ;  a  Samaritan, 
if  you  are  a  Jew ;  and  any  human  being,  black  or 
white,  swarthy  or  florid,  if  you  are  a  christian.  A 
christian  is  the  only  genuine  friend  of  the  species  on 
the  foot-stool  of  God.  He  loves  them  not  less,  but 
more,  because  he  tries  to  frustrate  their  errors,  to 
convince,  correct,  and  reform  them.  And  shall  he 
advertise  an  opposite  creed  in  his  manners  or  his 
dress  1  If  he  dresses  conscientiously,  as  unques- 
tionably he  ought,  his  conscience  is  open  to  evi- 
dence, and  ready  to  be  rectified  "  by  manifestation 
of  the  truth." 

Not  that  he  peevishly  rejects  a  mode 
Because  the  world  adopts  it.    If  it  bear 
The  stamp  and  clear  impression  of  good  sense, 
And  be  not  costly  more  than  of  true  worth, 
He  puts  it  on,  and  for  decorum  sake 
Can  wear  it  e'en  as  gracefully  as  she. 

Some  friends,  I  well  know,  allege  that  we  err,  in 
what  we  here  aver  of  them,  in  point  of  fact ;  that 


581 


they  do  not  lay  stress  upon  the  fashion  of  the  rai- 
ment ;  that  they  leave  every  one  to  himself  in  the 
matter.  This  I  beg  leave  to  doubt.  I  remember 
too  much  to  beUeve  it.  Why  have  Friends  written 
such  a  quantity  about  it,  if  it  were  a  thing  compa- 
ratively indifferent  with  them  1  Does  inspiration 
treat  of  trifles  so  voluminously  1  Do  they  wish  to 
provoke  me  to  tell  and  to  quote  all  I  know  on  the 
subject  1  I  hope  not.  Meanwhile,  Actions  speak 
LOUDER  THAN  WORDS  ;  as  saitli  the  proverb.  I  pro- 
pose a  test — Show  me  "  a  public  Friend,"  approved 
and  eminent  in  labors,  with  clothes  decently  and 
moderately  similar  to  those  of  other  gentlemen — 
not  quakerized  notoriously !  Show  me  such  an  one 
with  a  comfortable  double-breasted  surtout,  or  with 
coat  and  under-dress  of  blue,  or  black  !  Pro- 
duce me  such  a  sample,  and  I  will  believe  that 
you  state  the  subject  authentically !  Till  then,  I 
must  really  believe  that  such  a  rara  avis  in  terris  is 
a  bird  of  Utopia  only  ;  and  that,  should  such  an  one 
actually  appear,  and  exercise  his  "openings"  among 
you,  it  would  mystify  the  light,  and  grieve  the  bow- 
els, and  incur  the  rebuke,  of  a  whole  society.  To 
be  plainer — it  is  all  frivolous  to  aver  that  you  care 
nothing  for  "  plain  "  conformities ;  and  you  know 
it !  Have  I  forgotten  one  of  your  periodical  "  que- 
ries," about  "  plainness  of  speech,  behavior,  and 
apparel  V  and  the  "  careful "  observance  of  the 
same  which  it  solemnly  enjoins  \ 

But,  you  say,  our  reasons  are  religious.  Are 
they  1  Why  then  are  they  not  christian  too  \  Has 
the  Captain  of  salvation  appointed  a  religious  uni~ 


582 


form  for  his  soldiers  1   If  not,  how  dare  others  do  it 
in  his  name  \  How  dare  they  misrepresent  his  mind 
and  will  on  the  point  \    How  dare  they  caricature 
his  religion  along  the  streets'!  How  dare  they  make 
their  youth  ridiculous  in  dress  and  address,  distress 
their  feelings,  and  subject  them  to  wanton  jeering, 
insult,  outrage,  from  the  brute  mob  %    "  Ah  !  how 
the  cross  is  slighted !    Is  it  ?    What  cross  1  One 
of  your  own  making,  your  own  will-worship,  and  not 
at  all  the  cross  of  redemption  or  of  the  Redeemer  ! 
"  Why !   did  not  he  wear  a  garment  without  a 
seam  1"    Indeed  he  did  : — but  it  differed  as  much 
from  broad-skirts  and  buttonless  drab,  as  reason 
differs  from  fanatical  ignorance.    He  wore,  beside 
his  under-dress  which  the  soldiers  parted  among 
them,  John,  19  :  23,  24,  a  large  flowing  robe  or 
over-garment,  called  by  Dr.  Campbell  "  a  mantle :" 
this  the  soldiers  would  not  rend,  obviously  because 
of  its  texture  of  excellence,  curiously  woven.  They 
cast  lots  for  it  whose  it  should  be.    It  was  too  valu- 
able to  be  torn.    It  had  probably  been  presented  to 
him  as  an  expression  of  esteem  and  reverence,  or  as 
an  offering  of  pious  gratitude.    Its  seamless  cha- 
racter proves  not  its  plainness,  but  rather  its  taste- 
fulness,  its  worth  and  splendor.    In  short,  we  have 
no  reason  to  think  the  Savior  or  his  disciples  were 
ordinarily  distinguished  by  their  costume.    The  fine 
rule  of  Dr.  Watts,  Dress  so  as  to  escape  observation, 
avoiding  singularity  and  extremes,  seems  to  have 
been  theirs.    I  would  add — Dress  moderately,  mo- 
destly, comfortably,  honestly.   Peter  was  known  by 
his  speech  as  a  Galilean  ;  and  perhaps  the  others. 


583 


I  know  of  none  but  the  Pharisees  whose  dress  dis- 
tinguished them.  Matt.  23  :  5.  These  put  much  of 
their  religion  in  the  shape  and  possibly  the  color 
and  size  of  their  clothes.  It  is  a  cheap  mechanical 
sanctity,  very  ostentatious  and  rather  spurious,  to 
advertise  one's  religion  in  the  appearance  of  his  hat, 
coat,  and  equipage.  There  may  be  such  a  non- 
descript as  a  spiritual  dandy!  and  such  a  quality  as 
holy  finesse.  If  a  man  has  religion,  and  cares  to 
have  it,  it  will  ordinarily  appear  in  a  proper  way  and 
at  a  proper  time.  And  much  more  should  we  care 
for  appearances  in  the  sight  of  God  than  in  the 
sight  of  men.  We  should  take  care  of  our  reputa- 
tion— in  heaven  !  But  how  great,  and  "  outward  " 
truly,  how  over  done  and  spiritually  fantastical,  is 
the  pains-taking  of  men  and  women  Friends  to 
dress — precisely  so  ! 

Truth  is  truth,  whoever  says  it :  and  on  this  prin- 
ciple I  advert  to  the  saying  of  a  very  worthless  man  ; 
conceding  its  bad  origin,  while  I  commend  the  sen- 
timent it  contains.  "  If  the  Maker  of  all  had  been  a 
Friend,  what  a  drab-colored  creation  we  should 
have  had  !"  Instead  of  this,  the  eternal  architect  and 
original  of  all  things,  has  implanted  the  principles 
of  taste,  and  the  sense  of  beauty,  as  well  as  of  uni- 
versal harmony  and  elegance,  in  every  human  being : 
and  stored  the  world  with  an  exuberance  of  well- 
adapted  objects  to  attract  and  gratify  so  pure  and 
innocent  an  endowment.  God  hath  thus  made  man  ; 
and  thus  made  all  nature  "  beauty  to  his  eye  and 
music  to  his  ear."  How  inimitable,  how  rich,  how 
variegated,  the  hues  of  a  flower-garden  ;  an  autum- 


584 


nal  forest !  or  the  tints  of  glory  that  adorn  the  Occi- 
dent on  a  fine  summer's  evening.  How  grand  and 
imposing  a  spectacle  is  old  ocean,  rolling  in  its  own 
expanse.  How  ravishing  ^nd  splendid  the  scene 
of  the  firmament,  glowing  with  innumerable  stars ; 
"  with  living  sapphires,"  as  Milton  calls  them — at 
(as  Barbauld  gives  it)  "  the  dead  of  midnight  and 
the  noon  of  thought !"  how  gorgeous  the  counter- 
part of  all  these  glories,  peering  as  from  an  equal 
subterranean  vault,  seen  thousands  of  leagues  be- 
low the  reflecting  surface  of  some  sylvan  lake ! 
How  inspiring  and  symphonious  the  songsters  of 
the  wood !  They  praise  the  Creator,  while  man  is 
mute  and  inconsiderate  of  him.  But  we  speak  of 
clothing,  not  minstrelsey,  "  Consider  the  lilies  how 
they  grow — Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed 
like  one  of  these.  If  then  God  so  clothe  the  grass, 
which  is  to-day  in  the  field,  and  to-morrow  is  cast 
in  the  oven  ;  how  much  more  will  he  clothe  you, 
O  ye  of  little  faith."  Thus  all  his  works  concur 
and  speak  his  praise. 

And  all  are  under  One.    One  spirit — His, 
Who  wore  the  plaited  thorns  with  bleeding  brows, 
Rules  universal  nature.    Not  a  flower 
But  shows  some  touch,  in  freckle,  streak,  or  stain 
Of  his  unrivalled  pencil.    He  inspires 
Their  balmy  odours,  and  imparts  their  hues. 
And  bathes  their  eyes  with  nectar,  and  includes, 
In  grains  as  countless  as  the  seaside  sands. 
The  forms  with  which  he  sprinkles  all  the  earth. 
Happy  who  walks  with  him  !  whom  what  he  finds 
Of  flavor  or  of  scent  in  fruit  or  flower. 
Or  what  he  views  of  beautiful  or  grand 


585 


In  nature,  from  the  broad  majestic  oak 

To  the  green  blade  that  twinkles  in  the  sun, 

Prompts  with  remembrance  of  a  present  God. 

His  presence,  who  made  all  so  fair,  perceived. 

Makes  all  still  fairer.  Cowper. 

The  senses  are  not  sin  ;  nor  is  their  regular  and 
temperate  gratification  wrong.  Is  any  man  so  sto- 
ically philosophical  in  his  pseudo-christianity  as  to 
profess  that  he  eats,  for  example,  merely  from  a 
consideration  of  ulterior  results,  as  the  health  and 
strength  of  his  physical  system  ;  and  counts  it  sin 
to  relish  his  food  in  the  process  of  mastication? 
It  is  the  inordinate  indulgence  of  the  bodily  appe- 
tites, or  their  irregular  and  iniquitous  gratification, 
that  constitutes  sin  in  the  sight  of  God.  Christianity 
is  intended  to  suit  and  discipline,  to  tutor  and  per- 
fectionate  our  total  manhood,  in  the  best  possible 
manner  and  to  ends  equally  and  superlatively  good. 
We  are  to  "  use  the  world  as  not  abusing  it ;"  to 
enjoy  without  excess  or  waste  or  ingratitude,  his 
bounties  who  so  munificently  furnishes  us  with  good 
of  every  sort.  "  For  every  creature  of  God  is  good, 
and  nothing  to  be  refused,  if  it  be  received  with 
thanksgiving.  For  it  is  sanctified  by  the  word  of 
God  and  prayer  :"  that  is,  the  authority  of  "  the 
word  of  God  "  hath  set  it  apart  for  our  use,  and 
"  prayer"  concurring  receives  his  blessing  with  the 
gift ;  and  both  constitute  the  appropriate  "  sancti- 
fying "  of  these  donations  to  their  legitimate  end — 
the  use  of  man.  Hence  we  are  not  to  invent  crosses 
that  we  may  carry  them,  as  if  they  were  divinely 
commanded  !  especially  to  invent  them  for  others  ; 

74 


586 


and  dogmatize  them  on  niaukiud,  proscribing  or 
legitimating  what  we  will — as  if  will  was  law! 
Others  are  as  free  as  we  are  ;  we  as  obligated 
to  subjection  as  others.  Legislation  in  such  things 
belongs  underived  to  the  prerogative  of  the  Great 
King  of  consciences  ;  and  belongs  to  him  alone. 
Besides,  there  are  two  other  reasons  against  the 
usurpation  of  our  legislating  in  the  case  :  first,  we 
never  engage  in  making  or  doing  such  laws,  without 
so  neglecting,  as  practically  to  unmake  and  undo, 
the  really  obligatory  laws  of  God  :  the  commanded 
sacraments,  for  example !  The  attention  we  give 
to  uncommanded  forms,  always  subduces  propor- 
tionately from  our  obedience  to  what  is  commanded. 
Second,  As  it  is  wi'ong  in  principle  for  any  man  to 
popiFY  himself  as  a  lawgiver,  in  the  church  espe- 
cially, so,  as  Paul  avers  and  as  experience  shows,  it 
ought  to  be  resisted  in  its  beginnings  and  crushed 
in  the  quickening  ;  or  it  will  increase,  mature,  and 
become  at  last  a  living  monster  of  mischief  and 
impiety  So  prohfic  is  the  progeny  of  abuses,  when 
allowed  ;  superseding  Christianity  as  God  gave  it  to 
us,  in  its  completeness  and  adaptation,  in  his  word. 

Sut  the  plainness  of  the  society  often  operates  as 
a  salutary  restraint.  I  question  this  altogether. 
Besides,  restraint  is  not  virtue.  A  tiger  may  be  re- 
strained, till  in  effect  he  becomes  as  inoffensive  as 
a  lamb  :  but  still  he  is  a  tiger.  How  much  virtue 
is  there  in  a  restrained  Quaker  ]  as  much  as  there 
is  of  sanity  in  a  maniac  dressed  in  strait  vesture. 
Such  restraint  is  not  salutary,  except  possibly  for 
the  repose  of  the  community.  It  cramps  the  mind  ; 


587 


makes  servile  the  temper ;  irritates  the  feelings ; 
contradicts  the  wishes,  without  at  all  convincing  the 
judgment  or  enlightening  the  conscience  ;  generates 
cowardice  ;  acts  as  a  constant  mentor  of  degrada- 
tion ;  exposes  its  subjects  to  the  cruelty  and  sport 
of  the  foolish,  without  at  all  commending  them  to 
the  confidence  of  the  wise  ;  and  is  calculated  to 
foster  self-deceit,  contractedness  of  thought,  latent 
malice,  envy,  and  sly  duplicity.  I  solemnly  believe 
that  Quakerism  tends  to  degrade  the  human  mind  ; 
to  strengthen  its  vulgar  and  low  propensities,  to 
alienate  mental  manhood  and  the  honest  love  of 
moral  evidence  ;  to  inspire  cant,  religious  whining, 
holy  moping,  artificial  distortions  of  the  counte- 
nance, perversion  of  doctrine,  solemn  vacuity,  and 
even  desperation,  insanity,  and  suicide  !  Of  the 
insanity  of  its  tendencies — I  can  only  record  that  I 
have  long  believed  it  from  actual  observation.  I 
could  give  names — a  number — now  at  my  com- 
mand and  of  my  acquaintance,  of  Friends,  who, 
under  the  influence  of  their  most  reasonless  and 
proofless  scheme  of  mysticism,  have  gone  lunatic 
and  died  maniacs — some,  and  these  their  preachers, 
by  self-violence.  The  I'easons  are,  I  think,  mainly 
such  as  these  :  it  stimulates  the  mind,  when  spiri- 
tually exercised,  to  the  intensity  of  fanaticism  ;  puts 
it  upon  the  quest  of  things  impracticable;  deprives 
it  of  the  strength  and  satisfaction  of  rational  evi- 
dence ;  shows  it  not  at  all,  for  it  does  not  know, 

THE  GLORIOUS  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH 

IN  Jesus  Christ,  or  the  scriptural  way  of  war- 
ranted ACCESS  to  God  ;  fills  it  with  a  host  of 


588 


morbid  prejudices  ;  perverts  its  sober  thought,  and 
inspires  a  feeling  that  rational  investigation  is  in- 
imical to  spirituality  and  offensive  to  the  grace  of 
the  Spirit ;  destroys,  as  I  believe,  the  proper  and 
glorious  use  of  scriptural  and  evangelical  guidance, 
by  telling  them — and  let  no  Friend  deny  this — that 
the  scriptures  are  "  a  secondary  rule !"  and  the 
Spirit  speaking  in  them  "  the  primary  rule  "  in  re- 
ligion ;  yea,  that  the  Spirit,  i.  e.  God  himself,  is  a 
rule  of  action,  and  infinitely  the  highest  and  best 
rule  of  action  !  I  speak  as  a  witness  and  know  that 
I  speak  truth — though  well  I  know  also  how  their 
serpentine  sophistry  will  declaim,  and  throw  dust  in 
the  air,  to  darken  the  vision  of  others  !  The  best 
restraint  in  the  world  is — pure  Christianity. 

But  one  of  their  esoteric^*  arguments  is — that  if 
they  do  not  maintain  the  characteristic  plainness  of 
the  society,  they  will  lose  cast  and  come  to  nothing ! 
Will  they  \  Well,  I  think  this  must  be  admitted. 
It  is  my  own  opinion.  Hence  we  see  the  import- 
ance of  "working  out  their  own  "  Quakerism,  with 
punctilious  conformity ;  for,  otherwise,  they  may 
stand  a  chance  to  find  out  the  truth  and  get  con- 
verted to  Christianity !  But — I  would  tell  them, 
1.  That  they  will  come  to  nothing,  at  all  events,  so 
far  as  Quakerism  is  concerned.  They  are  now  so 
much  altered,  from  a  thorough-going  Quaker  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  that  if  the  two  kinds  should 
coexist  in  Philadelphia  next  year,  or  even  in  Lon- 
don, they  could  not  mutually  endure  each  other. 
Which  of  them  is  sufliciently  "  faithful "  in  these 
days,  to  enter  Christ  church  "  steeple-house "  in 


589 


that  city  and  interdict  the  worship  there,  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  1  I  do  not  believe  that  if  George 
Fox  were  to  enter  Arch-street  meeting,  in  the  city 
aforesaid,  he  would  be  either  welcome  or  endured  ; 
i.  e.  if  he  should  be  just  what  he  formerly  was. 
There  is  no  persecution  in  this  free  and  happy 
land,  to  elevate  them  into  sectarian  prosperity. 
Nor  is  any  man  more  glad  of  this  every  way  than 
myself.  But  mark  my  word,  and  remember  it  when 
I  am  in  the  other  world — In  this  country  of 

LIGHT  AND  CIVIL  FREEDOM  THEY  WILL  CONTINU- 
ALLY WANE,  ASSIMILATE  TO  BETTER  MODELS,  AND 
ULTIMATELY  COME  TO  NOTHING  AS  A  SECT. 

Every  generation  will  probably  improve  in  men- 
tal freedom  and  the  temper  to  examine.  The 
circumambient  light,  made  by  reflections  and  re- 
fractions from  the  word  of  God,  will  compel  them 
progressively  to  see  things  as  they  are.  They 
will  then  begin  to  reason ;  and  I  hope,  to  pray — 
without  waiting  profanely  for  a  motion  of  their 
sluggish  internal  prompter.  It  will  then  be  enough 
for  them  to  know  what  is  the  will  of  God  on  the 
subject.  And  if  they  can  possibly  ascertain  from 
his  living  oracles,  by  studious  searching  and  a  little 
common  sense,  that  Jesus  Christ  once  "  spake 
a  parable  to  this  end,  that  men  ought  always  to 
pray  and  not  to  faint,"  they  may  at  last  come 
to  see  that  the  invitation,  the  order,  the  pro- 
mise, of  God,  to  prayer,  constitute  the  identical 
ALL-SUFFICIENT  WARRANT  "  to  cvery  ouc  that  be- 
lieveth."  This  will  instantly  break  up  the  waiting 
system  ;  it  will  make  their  silent  meetings  seem  to 


590 


them  as  empty  and  heathenish  as  they  are  ;  and 
learning  to  follow  the  Spirit  where  he  truly  leads, 
they  will  obey  the  written  word  of  ijispiration,  as 
their  highest  rule  of  action,  and  come  experimen- 
tally to  know,  much  better  than  Barclay  ever  did, 
the  meaning  of  that  grand  aphorism  which  he  mys- 
tically abuses — As  many  as  are  led  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God.  Rom. 
8  :  14.  Heb.  4  :  14-16.  Many  an  old  man  pro- 
bably will  hug  his  prejudices  "inwardly"  to  the 
grave  ;  but  his  posterity  may  not  always  "  approve 
his  sayings."  The  signs  of  the  times  indicate  the 
progress  of  things  and  their  improvement  too. 
Their  educated  young  men  will  think  and  speak 
and  influence  others.  Friends  have  altered  since  I 
can  remember.  They  are  shaken,  the  whole  of 
them — except  the  mere  mental  and  moral  sediment 
of  the  society,  the  ignorant  and  the  dull  prover- 
bially. They  begin  to  see  that  there  is  no  sin  in 
classical  education  and  mental  discipline  ;  that  La- 
tin and  Greek  may  be  learned  from  good  motives, 
and  without  contamination  ;  that  there  is  more 
temptation  in  ignorance  than  in  sound  learning  ; 
and  that  all  correct  knowledge  may  be  acquired  in 
subserviency  to  piety.  Let  real  light  advance.  It 
never  had  such  a  fair  field  as  in  this  land.  God  is 
the  Great  Patron  of  all  true  knowledge  ;  and  Chris- 
tianity is  a  system  of  rational  evidence,  as  well  as 
of  "  grace  and  truth." 

I  must  add,  2.  That  they  ought  to  repent  of  their 
sectarianism.  It  is  a  shame  to  any  people,  espe- 
cially in  this  age  and  in  this  unique  and  happy  land  ; 


591 


and  especially  as  they  have  more  of  sect  and  less  of 
Christianity.  It  is  the  very  mind  of  anti-christ. 
And,  Friends,  allow  me  to  ask,  why  will  you  labor, 
and  metamorphose  your  humanity,  and  exhort  or 
assist  each  other  in  upholding  that  excrescence  of 
a  darkling  and  troubled  period,  not  half-reclaimed 
from  the  traditional  popery  of  ages  ;  why  will  you  toil 
to  uphold  a  system  which  can  never  uphold  youl 
Let  it  alone  ;  give  it  up.  Take  the  religion  of  Je- 
sus Christ  just  as  he  has  given  it  to  us,  and  made 
it  for  us,  in  the  holy  scriptures.  Conform  to  it ;  it 
is  greater  than  you  :  and  it  will  make  you  happy  ;  it 
will  save  you.  This,  my  dear  fellow  creatures  and 
friends,  I  know  by  experience.  I  have  proved  it ; 
I  commend  it  to  you.  Will  you  not  conform  to 
Christianity  I  Well !  take  the  consequences  then  ! 
This  is  all — and  surely  it  is  enough.  There  is  no 
indecision  in  God.  The  alternative  is  before  you. 
Christianity  will  never  conform  to  you,  not  a  jot  or 
a  tittle  of  it.  Again,  I  say,  it  never  willcoivfokm 
TO  YOU  OR  TO  ANY  MAN.  Coufomi  to  it ;  to  thc 
whole  of  it ;  just  as  it  is  ;  cordially ;  confidentially  ; 
constantly;  and  you  will  be  saved  long  enough 
before  you  get  to  glory  !  The  salvation  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  a  present  salvation,  as  well  as  an  eter- 
nal one.  "  He  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  life ;  and  he 
that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God,  hath  not  life."  Rea- 
der, is  this  possession  yours  I  Take  care  of  your 
title.  Many  will  be  disappointed  for  the  want  of  a 
good  one.    Nothing  but  truth  is  indisputable. 

This  chapter  shall  conclude  with  the  considera- 
tion of  a  passage.  Col.  2  :  20-23,  on  which  the  so- 


592 


ciety  are  wont  to  lay  much  emphasis  ;  as  they  do, 
most  tenaciously,  on  any  and  every  one  that  seems, 
in  their  hght,  to  vindicate  their  views  :  so  that  I  think 
it  a  good  inference  that  they  would  adhere  as  close- 
ly to  the  whole  volume,  if  they  only  liked  it  all,  as 
well  and  as  much  as  they  seem  to  like  some  spe- 
cial passages,  which  they  misunderstand  and  plau- 
sibly pervert.  This  real  reason,  for  the  selectness 
and  delicacy  of  their  scriptural  taste,  may  possibly 
not  be  known  to  themselves.  It  is  not  in  money- 
getting  or  the  principles  of  arithmetic,  but  in  reli- 
gion pre-eminently,  that  "the  heart  is  deceitful 
above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked." 

Every  one  can  see  the  use  to  which  Friends  put 
it — to  denounce  the  sacraments  ;  warn  and  encou- 
rage themselves  in  the  holy  disobedience  of  reject- 
ing them ;  and  fix  on  consistent  worshippers  the 
charge  of  judaizing  and  formality.  And  truly  they 
can  throw^  over  their  version  of  it  a  cloud  of  spe- 
ciosity  in  favor  of  their  usages,  as  if  it  was  written 
on  purpose  to  sanction  them. 

Intending  now  to  attempt  its  disabuse  from 
their  glosses  and  their  mistakes,  their  ignorance 
and  their  inspiration,  by  showing  its  proper  mean- 
ing ;  I  observe, 

1.  That  the  passage  is  comparatively  of  difficult 
solution.  Often  have  I  witnessed  its  mistaken  use 
in  the  pulpit,  in  religious  publications,  and  in  the 
noble  speeches  even  of  senatorial  eloquence,  en- 
gaged in  the  cause  of  temperance  and  thundering 
in  the  capitol.  On  this  account  Friends  ought  to 
be  treated  with  special  lenience,  just  here,  were  it 


593 


not  for  their  notorious  inspiration  when  tliey  preach  ! 
Inspiration  deserves  no  quarters ;  needs  none  ;  and 
were  more  injured  by  the  offer  than  the  want.  Still, 
of  mere  grace  I  will  award  it  to  them — thinking  it 
a  good  instance  in  illustration  of  the  nature  of  grace, 
as  favor  to  the  ill-deserving  !  for  they  always  affect 
to  know  all  about  it,  and  all  about  every  thing  else 
almost,  as  inspiration  might. 

2.  Much  of  the  darkness  and  mistake  which  ge- 
nerally accompanies  the  passage  may  be  traced  to 
a  demonstrable  infelicity  of  our  translation.  I  will 
render  it,  as  seems  just  and  necessary,  thus  :  If 
then  ye  have  died  with  Christ  from  the  elements  of 
the  world,  why,  as  those  that  live  with  the  world, 
do  you  subject  yourselves  to  the  arbitrary  enact- 
ments of  men  I  Thou  shalt  not  eat,  thoushalt  not 
taste,  thou  shalt  not  handle ;  which  things  are  all 
corrupting  by  abuse;  according  to  human  authority 
and  inclination  ;  which  things  have  indeed  the  ap- 
pearance of  wisdom,  by  will-worship,  and  formal 
humiliation,  and  unsparing  severity  to  the  body, 
(though  with  no  real  profit)  for  the  satisfaction  of 
the  flesh."  That  I  have  rendered  the  above  per- 
fectly as  it  should  be,  I  do  not  affirm  ;  but  that  the 
general  sense  is  correctly  given,  I  am  confident. 
The  learned  reader  may  consult  the  original  at  his 
leisure.  He  may  also  ponder  Dr.  Macknight,  Park- 
hurst,  Robinson's  Wahl,  Schleusner  and  others,  with 
advantage.  The  original  is  so  densely  written  ;  so 
idiomatically,  in  the  free  style  of  Paul  ;  that  one 
may  well  confess  in  details  its  intrinsic  difficulty, 
after  all. 

75 


594 


To  be  inspired  sometimes,  would  be  vastly  con- 
venient ;  it  would  at  least  save  many  an  honest 
student  from  the  incessant  toil  and  occasional  head- 
ache of  patient  investigation. 

3.  The  passage,  so  far  from  favoring  Friends,  is 
entirely  opposed  to  them.  Tt  forbids  christians  to 
allow  any  human  authority  to  speak  to  them  with 
its  own  dogmas.  ^oy^atL^toQe.  It  will  not  allow 
them  to  be  Pythagoreans,  bowing  to  mere  authori- 
ty. It  absolves  them,  as  the  subjects  of  Christ,  from 
all  the  orders  of  men  in  religion.  Col.  3 :  23-25. 
It  respects  "  ordinances"  such  possibly  as  these; 
"  Thou  shall  use  the  plain  language  ;  thou  shalt 
wear  clothes  of  a  precisely  given  description  ;  thou 
shalt  go  to  Friends'  meetings  only  ;  thou  shalt  vilify 
all  other  ministers  as  "  hirelings,"  and  not  learn 
even  the  truth  from  them  ;  thou  shalt  believe,  with- 
out any  evidence,  that  there  is,  in  thee  and  in  all 
men,  a  certain  inward  *  light,  seed,  life,  principle, 
fountain,  power,  grace,  and  portion  of  the  divinity,' 
which  is  '  above  all'  and  *  hath  dominion  over  all,' 
by  attending  to  the  voice  of  which,  thou  mayest 
come  to  the  full  knowledge  of  salvation."  Those 
obey  it  who  refuse  utterly  to  be  "  subject  to  ordi- 
nances "  such  as  the  above  ;  and  who  continue  to 
deny  all  the  fleshly  wisdom  and  presumptuous  le- 
gislation of  creatures  in  the  church,  of  which  Je- 
sus Christ  alone  is  the  all-sufficient  head. 

4.  Suppose  for  a  moment  it  did  refer  to  "  the  or- 
dinances "  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  (1 
Cor.  11  :  2,)  I  beg  leave  to  observe,  doubt  it  who 
may,  and  I  shall  only  observe,  that  then  the  scrip- 


•  595 


tores  would  contradict  themselves  flatly  and  de- 
monstrably— a  consequence  which  in  point  of  fact 
(not  of  words)  seems  to  affect  Friends  very  little. 

5.  The  passage  refers,  from  the  previous  context, 
it  is  thought,  to  all  the  desired  innovations  of  heathen 
schoolmen  and  Jewish  corrupters  ;  while  its  princi- 
ple is  of  universal  application,  exalting  the  authority 
of  Jesus  Christ  alone  and  exclusively  in  the  church 
"  which  he  purchased  with  his  own  blood."  It  will 
not  admit  the  philosophy  of  Pythagoras  or  Plato 
to  domineer  ;  or  the  enactments  of  Jewish  impos- 
tors to  deform.  It  allows  no  distinction  of  meats  ; 
it  favors  no  will-worship,  no  maceration  of  the  body, 
no  strait  vesture  of  religious  singularity  or  clanship, 
no  self-inflicted  austerities,  no  profitless  and  me- 
chanical observance.  It  pronounces  all  these  to  be 
human  fabrications,  fleshly  wisdom,  injurious,  and 
tending  to  destruction  in  many  ways.  It  will  be  per- 
ceived too  that  the  inhibitory  clause,  rendered  in 
our  translation,  "  Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle  not," 
is  not  plural,  as  if  the  apostle  commanded  it ;  is  it- 
self no  integral  part  of  the  inspired  scriptures,  but 
a  mere  quotation  by  the  apostle  of  a  judaical  man- 
date for  the  purpose  of  annulling  it ;  and  that  it  is 
often  improperly  used  in  the  cause  of  tempe- 
rance— a  cause  too  glorious  and  too  affluent  in 
resources  to  need  any  perversion  for  its  assistance, 
since  perversion  alone  sustains  the  arguments  that 
oppose  it.  It  is  a  cause  too,  I  am  happy  to  add,  in 
which  Friends  have  been  nearly  right  from  the  be- 
ginning ;  and  in  which  their  example,  taking  prece- 
dency of  others,  has  been  comparatively  excellent 


596 


and  of  praiseworthy  consistency.  Still,  it  is  not  a 
perfect  example  in  several  respects.  None  of  their 
members  are  allowed  to  vend  the  intoxicating  poi- 
son—in small  quantities  !  But  some  of  them  "feel 
easy,"  or  uneasy,  while  they  trade  in  it  by  wholesale! 
And  why,  knowing  this,  in  a  yearly  meeting,  full 
of  inspiration  and  other  wonderful  qualities,  do  they 
every  year  groan  over  the  matter,  or  squint  at  it, 
with  a  half  resolved  menace  of  action,  and  then  do — 
nothing  1  Is  it  that  in  such  an  assemblage  "  there  is 
not  strength  enough  in  the  body"  to  act  in  that  busi- 
ness"? or  will  they  always  adjourn  it  till  next  year  I 
Or,  is  it  better  "to  get  still,"  and  hold  silent  meet- 
ings only,  on  that  subject  1  reaching  it  galvanically 
or  otherwise,  "  without  words  1" 

On  the  sacraments,  Barclay  has  written  nearly  80 
octavo  pages.  To  follow  him,  especially  in  his  pa- 
rade of  sanctions  from  the  word  of  God  by  refer- 
ences that  are  all  against  him,  would  be  vexatious 
and  useless.  I  only  aver  that  I  have  stated  the 
strongest  of  his  seeming  arguments  that  I  can 
find — though  I  solemnly  believe,  and  for  reasons 
already  given,  that  his  whole  dissertation  on  the 
subject  is  a  tissue  of  sophistry,  a  flying  from  the 
point,  a  mystification  of  evidence,  and  a  disingenu- 
ousness  of  procedure  throughout !  It  oftentimes 
induces  the  indignation  that  would — almost— de- 
nounce him  as  a  wanton  perverter  and  libeller  of 
the  truth  !  I  boldly  write  my  thoughts,  just  as  they 
are  ;  and  know  that  I  must  answer  for  it  to  God.  It 
is  out  of  my  power  to  think  that  he  was  not  a  wil- 
ful sophist  or  a  deluded  errorist,  considered  as  a 


597 


religious  teacher.  In  no  other  aspect  would  I  dis- 
pose of  him.  As  one  of  my  relations  is  that  of  a  wit- 
ness, I  record  it  for  those  whom  it  may  concern  that 
what  he  writes  induces  in  my  mind  only  a  deeper 
sense  of  his  perversion,  and  of  the  anti-evangelical 
and  even  infidel  tendencies  of  Quakerism  !  I  believe 
Hicksism  belongs  to  its  substance,  and  is  one  of  its 
common  and  proper  fruits.  Let  men  scout  it,  if  they 
will ;  let  them  treat  it  as  empty  assertion,  after  all  the 
scriptural  decision  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that  has  been 
adduced,  and  that  the  genius  of  Quakerism  syste- 
matically neglects  or  instinctively  disguises  ;  still,  it 
shall  be  recorded — I  am  sincere  too — that  the  whole 
scheme,  here  and  elsewhere,  is  "  another  gospel ;" 
is  homogeneously  hostile  to  the  doctrine  of  justifi- 
cation, of  atonement,  of  salvation  by  faith,  and  of 
eternal  and  manifest  perdition  as  the  sure  result  of 
obeying  not  the  gospel  :  and  these  are  the  funda- 
mentals of  Christianity,  which  the  Bible  continually 
brings  into  view ;  which  Quakerism  continually 
puts  out  of  view  ;  which  it  is  the  policy  of  hell  for- 
ever to  supersede  and  obscure  ;  and  equally  the 
duty  of  the  church  and  the  ministry  to  maintain,  pure 
and  inviolate.  "  Ephraim  compasseth  me  about  with 
lies. — I  have  written  to  him  the  great  things  of 
MY  LAW,  but  they  were  counted  as  a  strange  thing. — 
Ephraim  is  smitten,  their  root  is  dried  up,  they  shall 
bear  no  fruit. — Ephraim  also  is  like  a  silly  dove, 
without  heart. — They  return,  but  not  to  the  Most 
High  :  they  are  like  a  deceitful  bow :  their  princes 
shall  fall  by  the  sword  for  the  rage  of  their  tongue. 
This  shall  be  their  derision  in  the  land  of  Egypt. 


598 


They  call  to  Egypt,  they  go  to  Assyria.  When  they 
shall  go,  I  will  spread  my  net  upon  them  ;  I  will 
bring  them  down  as  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  ;  I  will 
chastise  them,  as  their  congregation  hath  heard. 
Wo  unto  them  !  for  they  have  fled  from  me  :  de- 
struction unto  them !  because  they  have  transgressed 
against  me  :  though  i  have  REDEEMED  them, 

YET  they  have  SPOKEN  LIES  AGAINST  ME.  1  will  gO 

and  return  to  my  place,  till  they  acknowledge  their 
offence,  and  seek  my  face  :  in  their  affliction  they 
will  seek  me  early." 


599 


1?HB  CHRISTIAN?  IVIimSTRV. 

The  infidel  has  shot  his  bolts  away, 

Till,  his  exhausted  quiver  yielding  none. 

He  gleans  the  blunted  shafts  that  have  recoiled, 

And  aims  them  at  the  shield  of  Truth  again. 

****** 

The  world  takes  little  thought.  Who  will  may  preach, 

And  what  they  will.   All  pastors  are  alike 

To  wandering  sheep,  resolved  to  follow  none.  Cowpkr. 

How  beautiful  are  the  feet  of  them  that  preach  the  gospe!  of  peace,  and  bring 
glad  tidings  of  good  things. 

So  then,  faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearmg  by  the  word  of  God. — Rom. 
10:  i5-17. 

But  we  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels,  that  the  excellency  of  the  power 
may  be  of  God,  and  not  of  us. — 2  Cor.  4  :  1-7. 

My  words  shall  be  of  the  uprightness  of  my  heart :  and  my  lips  shall  utter 
knowledge  clearly.  Tlie  Spirit  of  God  hath  made  me,  and  the  breath  of  the 
Almighty  hath  given  me  life.  If  thou  canst  answer  me,  set  thy  words  in  order 
before  me,  stand  up.  Behold,  1  am  according  to  thy  wish  in  God's  stead :  I  also 
am  formed  out  of  the  clay.  Behold,  my  terror  shall  not  make  thee  afraid,  nei- 
ther shall  my  hand  be  heavy  upon  thee. — Job,  33  :  3-7. 

Let  a  man  so  account  of  us,  as  of  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  stewards  of  the 
mysteries  of  God.  Moreover,  it  is  required  in  stewards  that  a  man  be  found 
faithful.— 1  Cor.  4  :  1-5. 

And  THE  THINGS  THAT  THOU  HAST  HEARD  OF  ME  among  many  witnesses,  the 
same  commit  thou  to  faithful  men,  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others 
AL«o!— 2  Tim.  2  :  2. 

Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by 
us :  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God. — 2  Cor.  5  :  20. 

If  any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  oracles  of  God. — 1  Pet.  4:11. 

That  we  henceforth  be  no  more  children,  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about 
with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  craftiness, 
whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive :  but  speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow 
up  into  him  in  all  things,  who  is  the  head,  even  Christ. — Eph.  4  :  J4,  15. 

As  for  my  people,  children  are  their  oppressors,  and  women  rule  over 
them.  O  my  people,  they  who  lead  thee  cause  thee  to  err,  and  destroy  the  way 
of  thy  paths.— Isai.  3  :  12. 


On  the  subject  of  the  christian  ministry,  Friends 
are  very  pecuhar  in  many  respects,  and  wrong  in 


600 


about  as  many.  The  theme  is  inviting,  fertile,  and 
important ;  but  it  is  so  well  understood  compara- 
tively in  this  country,  that  I  thought  at  first  wholly 
to  omit  its  treatment.  Its  connection  with  Quak- 
erism, however,  has  determined  me  to  the  present 
course  ;  in  which  I  shall  attempt  little  more  than  to 
expose  the  anti-scriptural  perversion  of  their  scheme : 
and  this  generally  as  it  respects  the  nature  of  the 
office ;  its  importance  as  a  means  of  grace ;  a 
competent  temporal  support ;  the  right  of  females 
to  officiate  ;  and  the  probable  salvation  of  their  pre- 
sent and  proper  ministrations.  Their  views  and 
usages  here  are  so  well  known,  as  not  to  require 
many  quotations  from  their  authors :  indeed  the 
way  to  put  down  error  is  to  establish  truth  ;  and 
not  to  waste  time  and  strength  in  chasing  a  serpent 
through  all  the  windings  of  his  flexile  and  lubri- 
cated path.  Speaking  however  as  a  christian  wit- 
ness, and  knowing  my  account  in  the  eternal  world, 
I  record  my  hearty  protest  against  their  peculiar 
views ;  as  false,  specious,  purely  fanatical,  and 
eminently  ruinous  to  those  whom  they  avail  to  in- 
fluence ! 

I.  The  nature  of  the  ministerial  office  oc- 
curs to  be  considered.  Its  nature  as  God  has  made 
it,,  and  as  the  scriptures  evince  it,  I  mean  ;  and  not 
as  it  has  been  abused  by  anybody :  its  nature,  as 
involving  distinctness  of  office  ;  life-devotement  to 
its  service  ;  constancy  and  regularity  of  officiating; 
a  genuine  call  to  its  duties  ;  the  commission  of  its 
authority  ;  the  sanctions  of  its  administration  ;  its 
perpetuity  in  the  world.   I  shall  not  think  it  neces- 


601 


sary  distinctly  and  in  form  to  treat  of  all  these ;  nor 
to  care  specially  for  the  order  announced. 

1.  The  distinctness  of  the  ministerial  office,  re- 
sults from  the  nature  of  its  duties ;  their  sacred  im- 
portance ;  the  necessity  of  adequate  qualifications  ; 
the  inhibition  of  the  incompetent ;  the  duty  of  the 
church  to  try,  and  prove,  and  recognise,  the  com- 
petent; and  the  whole  tenor  of  scripture,  speak- 
ing of  the  order  and  the  office,  its  appropriate  duties 
and  solemn  responsibilities,  in  a  style  suited  to  no 
other  idea.  What  Barclay  says  about  the  distinc- 
tion between  the  clergy  and  the  laity,  is  little  other 
than  religious  trifling  and  logomachy.  If  the  order 
exists  distinctly,  then  every  one  belongs  to  it,  or — 
he  does  not.  In  this  there  is  nothing  disparaging 
or  invidious,  especially  in  our  times.  The  latter 
class  are  called,  by  secular  usage  and  common  law, 
the  laity,  or  people ;  and  the  former,  the  clergy,  or 
the  order  of  clerks  or  scholars ;  for  reasons  which 
history  has  told  to  all  men. 

2.  The  ministerial  commission.  In  general,  this  is 
the  whole  written  word  of  God  ;  in  particular,  those 
passages  that  condense  the  authority  and  the  in- 
structions of  the  service,  in  few  and  comprehensive 
and  appropriate  words;  and  that  declare  the  salva- 
tion or  the  damnation  of  men,  the  savor  either  "  of 
death  unto  death"  or  "  of  life  unto  life,"  according 
to  their  treatment  of  the  gospel  ;  and  these  as  the 
sanctions  of  God,  to  those  to  whom  their  ministra- 
tions are  addressed.  Thus,  the  whole  volume  is 
declared  to  be  inspired  eminently  to  this  end,  the 
accomplishing  of  the  ministry;  "that  the  man  of 

76 


602 


God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all 
good  works."  Hence  every  preacher  is  required  to 
conform  his  doctrine  to  that  '  outward '  rule ;  "  If 
any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  oracles  of 
God."  He  is  required  also  to  observe  coherency, 
and  the  essential  harmony  of  truth,  and  the  analogy 
of  faith  in  its  proper  outline,  in  all  that  he  delivers  ; 
"  Let  us  prophecy  according  to  the  proportion  (ob- 
jective symmetry  or  analogy)  of  faith."    "  And  lo, 

1  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world,"  says  the  Savior :  a  sentence  sufficient  of 
itself  to  show  the  perpetuity  of  the  office  to  the  end 
of  time  ;  did  not  the  spiritual  wants  of  men,  the 
same  in  all  ages  and  in  constant  succession  of  ge- 
nerations, and  the  evident  seal  of  the  Spirit  on  a 
pure  ministry  in  our  own  day  ;  the  experience  of 
all  genuine  and  accomplished  christians ;  the  his- 
tory of  those  countries  where  such  a  ministry  is  en- 
joyed, in  contrast  with  others  that  perishingly  want 
that  excellent  ascension-gift  of  Christ  ;  perfectly 
demonstrate  the  truth.  The  right  and  the  duty  and 
the  responsibility  of  private  judgment,  however,  is 
fully  given  in  the  scriptures  :  and  there  is  it  better 
guarded  too  than  it  can  be  possibly  elsewhere. 

2  Cor.  1  : 24.  Acts,  17  :  11.  1  John,  4  :  1-5.  John, 
5  :  31-47.  No  protestant  and  no  christian  can  pro- 
bably over-estimate  the  importance  of  this  right  or 
the  solemnity  of  this  duty.  To  God  we  answer  for 
its  abuse.  Liberty  and  responsibility  ought  always 
to  accompany  and  mutually  to  qualify  each  other. 
Men  are  free — and  they  are  accountable  too!  No 
claim  of  inspiration  entitles  a  man,  or  a  woman,  to 


603 


be  believed  implicitly.  "  To  the  law  and  to  the 
testimony  :  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word, 
it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them."  "  Consider 
what  I  say  ;  and  the  Lord  give  thee  understanding 
in  all  things." 

The  commission  of  Friends  where  is  it 

In  the  inner  man  !  in  the  anointing  felt  at  the  time  ! 
in  "  the  fund  of  the  soul !"  in   light ! 

3.  A  minister  of  the  gospel  must  be  devoted  with 
his  all  and  for  life  to  the  service.  The  very  nature, 
magnitude,  difficulty,  glory,  of  the  work,  demon- 
strate this.  To  what  ought  a  man  to  be  devoted  for 
life ;  with  all  his  powers  absorbed,  all  his  affections 
enamored,  all  his  time  employed,  if  not  to  this  in- 
comparable service  1  I  will  quote  only  one  passage 
here.  It  is  addressed  to  a  young  minister,  and 
through  him  as  well  to  every  other  minister  of 
Christ.  "  Give  attendance  to  heading,  to  ex- 
hortation, TO  doctrine.  Neglect  not  the  gift 
that  is  in  thee,  which  was  given  thee  by  prophecy, 
with  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  presbytery. 
Meditate  upon  these  things  ;  GIVE  THY- 
SELF WHOLLY  TO  THEM;  THAT  THY 
PROFITING  MAY  APPEAR  TO  ALL  :"  or, 
^<  IN  ALL,"  as  is  the  original,  with  manifest  pre- 
ferableness ;  meaning,  in  all  the  branches  and 
PARTS  OF  the  comprehensive  office-work.  From 
innumerable  other  testimonies  of  the  "  secondary 
rule,"  might  the  same  be  verified.  But  this  is  plain, 
full,  indisputable.  I  only  ask.  What  Quaker  minis- 
ter obeys  it]  The  man  who  gives  no  "  attendance 
to  reading  1"  who  abhors  religious  study  1  who  de- 


604 


nounces  theological  application,  as  a  profane  way 
of  preparing  for  public  duty  1  who  is  a  layman, 
while  he  preaches"?  and  who,  instead  of  "  giving 
himself  wholly"  to  the  things  of  the  ministry, 
drives  a  prosperous  trade  all  the  week,  and  now 
and  then  on  "  first-day  "  delivers  a  rhapsody  of  in- 
spired nonsense,  to  an  edified  assemblage,  for  ten 
or  twelve  minutes,  or  possibly  only  two  sentences 
in  three  or  ten  months?  The  difference  between  a 
minister  of  the  New  Testament  stamp,  and  an  or- 
dinary Quaker  holder-forth,  is  so  great  and  palpa- 
ble, that  to  one  who  knows  the  appropriate  charac- 
teristics of  both,  the  attempt  to  prove  it  were  su- 
perfluous and  to  illustrate  it  ridiculous.  Some  of 
the  most  ignorant  simpletons  in  civilized  society 
get  inspired  to  preach  among  them  ;  and  "  shear 
nonsense  "  indeed  do  they  deliver  :  while  tremulous  . 
gesticulation,  groaning,  drawling,  whining,  grimace, 
and  most  unearthly  tunes  of  vocal  sing-song,  are 
the  relief,  and  the  accompaniment,  and  the  com- 
pensation. I  might  here  record  some  recollected 
specimens  in  point — but  I  forbear,  with  pity  super- 
seding the  indignation  it  produces!  Do  they  so 
obey  the  order  of  God,  that  their  "  profiting," 
their  proficiency,  "  appears  f  and  that,  "in  all"  the 
varied  and  lofty  ramifications  of  the  ministerial 
office  l  in  interpretation,  in  knowledge,  in  doctrinal 
discrimination,  in  lucid  developement,  in  richness  of 
furniture,  and  so  on  ?  "  Take  heed  unto  thyself  and 
to  the  doctrine  ;  continue  in  them  :  for  in  doing 
this  thou  shalt  both  save  thyself  and  them  that  hear 
thee."    Is  this  like  their  ministry,  masculine  or 


605 


feminine  1  "  Jesns  saitli  unto  them,  Have  ye  un- 
derstood all  these  things  I  They  say  unto  him, 
Yea,  Lord.  Then  said  he  unto  them,  Therefore 
every  scribe  who  is  instructed  unto  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  is  like  unto  a  man  that  is  an  householder, 
who  bringeth  forth  out  of  his  treasure  things  new 
and  old."  Matth.  13  :  52.  "  And  the  Lord  said, 
Who  then  is  that  faithful  and  wise  steward, 
whom  his  lord  shall  make  ruler  over  his  household, 
to  give  them  their  portion  of  meat  in  due  season  1 
Blessed  is  that  servant  whom  his  lord  when  he 
Cometh  shall  find  so  doing."  Luke,  12  :  42,  43. 
There  is  no  such  ministry  among  Friends,  no- 
thing like  it  in  all  the  estate  of  their  officers  ; 
elders  or  ministers  ;  male  or  female.  Some  of 
their  preachers,  I  speak  of  the  best  that  I  ever 
heard,  have  indeed  a  native  vain  of  eloquence, 
and  mental  gifts  of  no  ordinary  respectability  :  still, 
their  sermons  are  without  method,  concentration,  or 
point.  They  show  pathos  and  poetry  of  a  certain 
kind  ;  but  equally  evince  the  folly  that  abhors  men- 
tal discipline  in  preaching  ;  that  calls  it  "  forbidden 
fruit"  (what  a  foolery)  to  premeditate  and  mature 
their  message  ;  and  that  sincerely  acts  as  if  the 
Deity  were  just  using  their  organs  of  utterance  for 
his  own  speech,  while  they  piously  suffer  it  to  "  go 
through "  them.  Their  edification,  I  deliberately 
believe,  is  mainly  physical ;  as  much  so  as  social 
sympathy,  theatrical  effect,  pantomime,  good  ani- 
mal spirits,  nervous  excitement,  a  solemn  nap,  "  re- 
newing one's  strength"  by  tranquil  inaction,  se- 
rene feeling,  or  electrical  saturation  !  See  Barclay's 


606 


physical  analysis  of  "  worship,"  in  which  he  soberly 
proves  its  contagiousness,  or  that  the  inference  is 
catching  in  their  society!  I  often  think  of  a  charged 
battery  of  Leyden  phials  and  a  secret  conductor, 
when  I  read  him.  To  mysticise  below  the  bathos  or 
the  abyss  of  all  comprehension,  wonderfully  re- 
freshes them.  They  are  very  fond  of  figurative  rea- 
soning and  analogical  illustration,  incoherent  and 
declamatory.  In  fact  there  is  no  particular  need 
of  their  proving  any  thing.  Inspiration  "  dwells 
hke  Uriel  in  the  sun  ;''  and  must  be  right.  They 
have  no  "  Evangelists,  or  Pastors  and  Teachers," 
after  the  pattern  of  the  New  Testament.  Their 
preachers  often  produce  a  great  effect — on  the 
nerves  !  Their  incantations  or  cantillations  are  so- 
norous and  affecting  quite.  But  it  is  very  much  a 
physical  effect,  instead  of  a  moral  one  :  and  their 
sages  know  little  of  the  difference.  To  explain, 
demonstrate,  define,  instruct,  and  edify,  in  the  pure 
faith  of  the  gospel,  is  what  the  best  of  them  do  not. 
The  scriptures  they  never  read  in  public  worship. 
Their  quotations  are  loose,  disjointed,  and  almost 
all  by  common  plagiarism  from  their  books  or  their 
cotemporaries  or  recent  predecessors — yet  they  vend 
it  all  for  fresh  inspiration,  very  sincerely.  My  own 
conviction  is,  after  a  full  and  perilous  experience  of 
their  ways,  that  their  ministry  is  altogether  another 
sort  of  thing  from  that  described  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament ;  and  that  ordinarily  a  man  might  sit  under 
it  for  half  a  century,  and  get  all  the  good  it  was 
adapted  to  afford,  and  be  mightily  affected  on  every 
occasion,  and  considerably  restrained  and  softened 


607 


and  attenuated  in  his  living  practice  ;  without  ever 
coming  to  know  the  way  of  salvation  through  Jesus 
Christ  as  it  is,  and  without  all  the  proper  ends  rea- 
lized to  his  soul  for  which  the  evangelical  ministry 
was  divinely  and  certainly  appointed.  Not  only  does 
their  influence  omit  to  demonstrate — since  it  knows 
not — the  real  vitals  of  the  gospel  as  they  are;  it  so 
blunts  the  edge  of  thought,  mystifies  the  judgment, 
and  pre-occupies  the  perceptions,  that  the  devotee 
or  disciple  of  their  ways  now  spontaneously  calls 
good,  evil;  bitter,  sweet;  and  light,  darkness.  At- 
tempt to  reason  the  case — ah!  that  is  all  in  the  will 
of  man,  in  the  wisdom  of  the  schools,  in  the  way  of 
divines  and  doctors.  Thus  ihey  are  attached  to  the 
system  as  it  were  by  infection  communicated,  or  the 
virtus  inoculated  into  the  constitution :  as  Barclay 
says,  "  it  must  be  rather  by  a  sensible  [not  spiritual] 
experience,  and  by  coming  to  make  proof  of  it,  than 
by  arguments,"  that  we  are  "  convinced  "  of  the 
excellence  of  their  style  of  things.  The  senses,  in- 
ternal or  external,  have  often  a  greater  effect  in  con- 
vincing some  persons,  than  evidence,  even  if  it  be 
the  word  of  God  !  "  Yea,  and  we  doubt  not,  but 
assuredly  know,  that  the  meeting  may  be  good  and 
refreshful,  though  from  the  sitting  down  to  the  ris- 
ing up  thereof,  there  hath  not  been  a  word  as  out- 
wardly spoken  ;  and  yet  life  may  have  been  known 
to  abound  in  each  particular,  and  an  inward  grow- 
ing up  therein  and  thereby."  He  speaks  of  such  an 
encounter  in  these  silent  meetings,  "  that  otlen- 
times,  through  the  working  thereof,  the  body  will 
be  greatly  shaken,  and  many  groans,  and  sighs, 


008 


and  teai'3,  even  as  the  pangs  of  a  woman  in  travail, 
will  lay  hold  upon  it."  Hence,  he  says,  OaYwo7'k 
then  and  icorship  is,  when  we  meet  together,  for 
every  one  to  watch  and  wait  upon  God  in  them- 
selves, and  to  be  gathered  ^'^  from  all  visibles  there- 
unto." And  then  it  is  that  "  the  good  seed,  as  it 
ariseth,  will  be  found  to  work  as  physic  in  the  soul." 
Thus  Barclay  himself  was  physically  converted  to 
Quakerism — precisely  as  I  was  not  converted  from 
it  to  Christianity  :  "  not  by  strength  of  arguments, 
or  by  a  particular  disquisition  of  each  doctrine,  and 
convincement  of  my  understanding  thereby."  Not 
so  :  "  but  by  being  secretly  reached  by  this  life.^^ 
He  adds,  as  a  true  and  graphic  auto-biographer ; 
"  for  when  I  came  into  the  silent  assemblies  of  God's 
people,  I  felt  a  secret  power  among  them,  which 
touched  my  heart,  and  as  I  gave  way  unto  it,  I 
found  the  evil  weakening  in  me,  and  the  good 
raised  up,  and  so  I  became  thus  knit  and  united 
unto  them,  hungering  more  and  more  after  the  in- 
crease of  this  power  and  life,  whereby  I  might  feel 
myself  perfectly  redeemed. — And  indeed  this  is  the 

surest  way  to  become  a  christian,^''  but  enough ! 

or,  I  will  just  add,  this  is  the  method  of  their  admi- 
nistered ordinances!  for  "thus  we  are  often  greatly 
strengthened  and  renewed  in  the  spirits  of  our 
minds  without  a  word,  and  we  enjoy  and  possess 
the  holy  fellowship  and  communion  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ,  by  which  our  inward  man  is  nou- 
rished and  fed  ;  which  makes  us  not  to  dote  upon 
outward  water,  and  bread,  and  wine,  in  our  spiri- 
tual things."    They  only  dote  upon  inward  water, 


609 


and  bread  and  wine.  But  the  christian  ministry 
requires, 

4.  Constancy  and  regularity  of  officiating  :  this, 
ordinarily  ;  as  well  as  all  the  extraordinary  and  in- 
opportune and  nameless  ways  in  which  one  is  re- 
quired, seeking  and  watching  all  proper  occasions 
to  exert  a  wise  but  an  aggressive  and  positive  influ- 
ence in  favor  of  the  gospel.  It  is  plainly  the  duty 
of  every  preacher  of  the  gospel  to  honor  the  fol- 
lowing order  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  "  I  charge  thee 
therefore  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  ap- 
pearing and  his  kingdom  ;  preach  the  word  ;  be  in- 
stant in  season,  out  of  season  ;  reprove,  rebuke,  ex- 
hort, with  all  long-suffering  and  doctrine,"  &c. 
2  Tim.  4  :  1-4.  Does  this  mean — keep  silent 
meetings,  that  the  spirits  of  the  people  may  be 
"  renewed  without  a  word,"  by  a  secret  influence, 
galvanic,  atmospheric,  or  physical  of  some  other 
sort  1  Friends  often  allege  the  importance  of  re- 
flection, and  the  value  of  silent  meetings  as  assist- 
ing it.  But  is  this  wise  1  Why  come  together  so- 
cially, for  the  sake  of  solitary  thought  \  We  are 
indeed  exhorted  to  "commune  with  our  own  heart 
and  be  still ;"  but  then  it  is  '*  on  our  bed,"  and  not 
"  in  the  great  congregation."  Such  duties  are  pri- 
vate and  personal  in  their  nature,  and  ought  to  be 
done  in  the  "  closet."  But  public  meetings  are 
social ;  and  fit,  as  they  were  instituted  by  the  great 
Head  of  the  church,  for  public  actions  of  worship ; 
such  as  preaching,  prayer,  singing,  reading  the 
scriptures,  and  the  administration  of  the  christian 

77 


610 


sacraments.  To  come  together  into  one  place — to 
sit  still,  to  reflect,  to  be  mute,  to  hear  no  preaching 
of  the  word,  and  to  celebrate  no  evangelical  or- 
dinance ;  this  is — Quakerism.  Acts,  13  :  38-44. 
Matt.  13 :  3.  "  Be  instant,"  i.  e.  urgent,  aggressive, 
"  compelling  them  to  come  in  :"  Luke,  14  :  23,  does 
this  mean — that  the  preacher  should  wait  for  inspi- 
ration, an  inward  motion  of  life  in  the  soul,  by  silent 
stillness,  till  "  the  rest  will  find  themselves  secretly 
smitten  without  words,  and  that  one  will  be  as  a 
midwife  through  the  secret  travails  of  his  soul  to 
bring  forth  the  life  in  them,  just  as  a  little  water 
thrown  into  a  pump  brings  up  the  rest,  whereby  life 
will  come  to  be  raised  in  all, — and  such  a  one  is 
felt  by  the  rest  to  minister  life  unto  them  without 
words  !"  What  competent  and  impartial  judge  can 
think  this  to  be  other  than  sorcery,  peculiarly  refin- 
ed X  It  is  no  more  the  gospel  than  the  fooleries  of 
the  Koran  are  !  *'  In  season  :"  does  this  mean  that 
it  is  wrong  to  have  regular  seasons  of  preaching 
the  word  \  that  to  appoint  such  seasons  and  punc- 
tually to  meet  them,  is  all  "  in  the  will  of  man  " 
and  abominable  to  God  \  "  Out  of  season  does 
this  mean — only  when  you  have  been  sitting  still 
for  a  length  of  time,  to  get  the  life  into  play  and 
pulsation  !  only  when  you  can /<?e?  yourself  "  cloth- 
ed "  with  the  living  influence  1  only  when  you  can 
take  out  a  new  commission,  like  bread  hot  from 
the  oven  1  only  when  your  nerves  and  your  imagi- 
nation have  become  charged  with  the  light  of 
Quakerism,  the  foxian  touchwood  or  flame  of  an 


611 


ultra-spiritual  vision  1  Quakerism,  whatever  else 
it  may  be,  is  not  Christianity. 

5.  A  genuine  call  to  the  duties  of  the  ministerial 
office,  is  one  thing  with  Quakerism,  and  another 
thing  with  the  religion  of  the  New  Testament.  It 
was  in  the  "  openings  "  of  a  marvellous  inspiration 
that  George  Fox  was  first  called  from  the  last,  to 
preach  about  the  light.  In  just  such  a  way  only, 
do  Friends  allow  any  other  preacher  to  be  desig- 
nated. All  that  are  not  called  in  this  way  of  theirs, 
are  man-made  preachers,  and  "divested  of  the  no- 
ble name  of  christian^ 

On  this  subject,  after  I  had  obtained  a  hope  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  felt  "joy  and  peace  in  believing," 
according  to  the  glorious  written  gospel  of  God,  I 
was  perplexed  for  a  time  with  the  recurrence  of  the 
old  leaven,  the  secret  influence,  which  they  think 
the  very  artery  of  spiritual  life,  thrilling  with  its 
freshest  circulations.  The  word  of  God  was  my 
universal  solvent,  my  panacea,  my  philosopher's 
stone,  my  elixir  of  life !  I  was  "  thoroughly  fur- 
nished "  by  its  wisdom.  There  I  soon  saw  that  the 
way  of  fanatical  imposture  was  that  which  troubled 
me,  and  quite  another  way  that  indicated  in  the  ge- 
nuine oracles.  To  be  possessed  of  the  proper 
QUALIFICATIONS — this  was  the  criterion,  according 
to  that  volume  of  "truth  and  soberness:"  and  this 
question  was  to  be  judged  for  myself  and  by  my- 
self in  the  first  instance,  and  then  for  others  by  my 
spiritual  superiors  in  the  church  of  God.  I  resolved 
these  qualifications  into  the  following  ;  (1)  sincere 
piety,  as  a  lover  of  God  and  a  disciple  of  Jesus 


612 


Christ ;  (2)  a  desire  of  the  office,  enlightened,  prac- 
tical, predominating,  hearty,  and  in  a  sense  inextin- 
guishably strong  ;  (3)  competent  intellectual  talents, 
natural  and  acquired ;  (4)  suitable  bodily  powers, 
as  health,  vigor,  voice  ;  (5)  a  willingness  to  submit 
to  authority,  and  to  honor  the  proper  power  of  go- 
vernment in  the  church,  by  being  subject  to  it  for 
Christ's  sake,  as  well  as  by  exercising  it  on  the 
same  account ;  and  (6)  the  sanction  of  the  church  of 
God,  on  due  experiment  as  a  probationer.  These 
I  approved  as  constituting  the  qualifications,  from 
which  the  inference  is  valid  that  he  who  possesses 
them  is  ordinarily  called  of  God  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  [Extraordinary  calls,  such  as  that  of  Paul, 
are  never  to  be  looked  for,  and  are  now  never  repeat- 
ed. Hence  on  the  matter  of  qualifications  the 
burden  of  the  New  Testament  pervadingly  reposes. 
As  soon  as  we  hear  of  "  desiring  the  office,"  it  is 
pronounced  "  a  good  work  ;"  and  the  qualifications 
are  specified  that  authorize  incumbency  and  inves- 
titure. The  candidate  must  look  to  these  solemnly, 
for  his  own  satisfaction  ;  then  must  the  church  and 
all  men,  for  their  satisfaction.  1  Tim.  3  :  1-7.  Tit. 
1  :  5-11.  2  Tim.  2 :  1-26.  3  :  1-17.  4  :  1-8.  Now 
nothing  is  plainer  to  me  than  this — that  no  Friend 
either  does  or  can  possess  the  requisite  qualifica- 
tions ;  and  consequently  no  Friend,  as  such,  is  called 
of  God,  or  has  any  right  to  be  owned  by  man,  as  a 
minister  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  Is  a  Friend, 
for  example,  "  apt  to  teach  "  or  to — sit  still  \  does 
he  give  himself  "  wholly"  to  his  work?  or  only 
partially,  fitfully,  and  as  his  more  absorbing  secular 


613 


profession  permits  1  Is  he  seen  "  holding  fast  the 
faithful  word  as  he  hath  been  taught,  that  he 

MAY  BE  ABLE  BY  SOUND  DOCTRINE  BOTH  TO  EXHORT 
AND    TO    CONVINCE    THE    GAINSAYERS 1"     DoeS  he 

"  give  attendance  to  reading,  to  exhortation,  to 
DOCTRINE  1"  Has  he  any  official  "gift,"  with  "the 
laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  Presbytery  1"  Does 
he  even  profess  to  act  or  officiate  under  the  high 
commission  of  the  volume  of  inspiration,  which,  its 
author  declares,  was  written  on  purpose  and  mainly 
to  equip  and  accomplish  the  christian  ministry'? 
Let  men  of  sense,  unprejudiced  and  independent, 
answer  the  questions. 

II.   On    THE   IMPORTANCE    OF    THE   OFFICE    AS  A 

MEANS  OF  GRACE,  I  havc  little  to  say.  Brevity  will 
suffice.  I  think  the  word  of  God  very  clearly  au- 
thorizes this  declaration,  that,  extraordinaries 

APART,  THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY,  POSSESSING  THE 
competent    QUALIFICATIONS,    IS    INDISPENSABLE  TO 

SALVATION.  All  history  and  observation  confirm  the 
whole  tenor  of  scripture  in  these  two  positions  ; 
1.  That  man  is  an  apostate  and  desperately  wicked 
creature  universally  ;  2.  That  God  ordinarily  uses 
the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  as  his  way  of  bringing 
sinners  to  exercise  "  repentance  toward  God  and 
faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

This  view  is  the  antipodes  of  what  "  Friends  be- 
lieve." And  truly,  when  they  value  the  ministry  as 
of  very  little  worth,  I  grant  that  their  estimate  is 
wise  and  rational — if  they  mean  their  own  !  It  is  of 
very  little  worth,  sure  enough  !  They  could  get  to 
heaven  by  the  light  within,  just  as  soon,  or  sooner, 


614 


without  as  with  it.  And,  say  they,  when  they  hear 
our  view,  "what  will  become  of  the  heathen  1"  An- 
swer, they  are  all  to  be  converted  by  Friends'  mis- 
sionary efforts — or  saved  by  the  light  in  every  one  of 
them  !  I  also  will  ask  them  a  question ;  What  is  to 
become  of  "the  whole  world"  that  "  lieth  in  wick- 
edness ?"  What  will  become  of  some  worse  hea- 
then at  home,  who  need  to  be  taught  "  which  be  the 
first  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  1"  See 
Rom.  10  :  11-17,  where  we  are  told  not  only  of  the 
efficacy  of  faith,  and  of  its  indispensableness,  but 
of  the  mode  of  its  occurrence.  "  So  then,  faith 
cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  [spoken] 
word  of  God."  The  gloss  of  Barclay  on  the  con- 
text I  pronounce  false  and  contemptible.  Paul  is 
introducing  no  objector ;  in  that  lucid  chain  of  in- 
terrogatories, which  leads  to  the  conclusion  I  have 
cited.  He  is  only  preparing  the  way  to  show,  vs. 
18-21,  that  salvation  does  not  follow  without  faith, 
even  where  the  gospel  is  enjoyed.  1  Cor.  1  :  18-31. 
Rom.  10  :  20-22.  Luke,  10  :  1,  2.  Rom.  1  :  20-32. 
2  :  1-12-16.    But  I  proceed, 

III.  To  consider  the  topic  of  a  competent  tempo- 
ral support,  as  the  due  of  the  ministry  according  to 
human  and  divine  laws  equally.  If  the  work  is  one 
that  engrosses  the  "  laborer ;"  that  requires  self-de- 
votement  for  life ;  that  absorbs  most  properly  all 
his  time  and  talents  ;  that  occupies  him  wholly  for 
the  good  of  others  : — why  ought  he  to  be  starved  to 
death  for  conformity  to  the  divine  requisitions  1 
Tell  me  not  of  abuses — I  am  treating  of  uses  only  ; 
besides,  from  abuse  to  disuse,  of  a  good  thing,  is  a 


615 


fool's  argument.  A  worldly  establishment,  a  sordid 
money-making  traffic  in  benefices,  the  abominations 
of  simony,  the  sin  of  pluralities,  the  distraint  and 
the  modern  doctrine  of  tithes,  a  secular  enforce- 
ment of  "  church  rates,"  or  an  implication  against 
the  fundamental  principle  that  "the  kingdom  of 
Christ  is  not  of  this  world  ;"  none  of  these  is  in  the 
argument  or  need  be  in  the  objection.  "  But  sup- 
pose one  loves  the  wages  more  than  the  work  1" 
Why — THEN  HE  IS  AN  "  HIRELING  ;"  and  dying  so, 
he  will  be  lost  forever  !  But  are  there  none  of  your 
own  clergy  in  that  predicament  1  Very  probably.  Are 
there  none  of  your  own  laity  in  the  same  condemna- 
tion l  Know  ye  not  that  if  a  man  practise  physic  and 
love  the  wages  supremely,  "  mamnlon,"  and  not "  the 
Father,"  is  his  God  ;  and  "wrath  abideth  on  himl" 
Friends  often  argue  as  if  the  sacred  service  was  the 
only  one  in  which  it  were  sin  to  prefer  emolument 
to  higher  considerations  ;  or  in  which  there  was  any 
temptation  to  covetousness.  I  pray  they  may  not 
wait  for  the  '  outward '  light  of  eternity  to  teach 
them,  that,  in  whatever  profession  or  sphere  a  man 
maybe  placed,  he  is  obligated  to  love  God  supreme- 
ly ;  and  has  no  piety  without  doing  it ;  and  is  "  an  idol- 
ater," and  so  with  "  no  inheritance  in  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  and  of  God,"  if  he  be  "  a  covetous  man." 
Now,  why  cannot  a  man  from  motives  as  pure  as 
those  of  Paul,  accept  a  competent  income  from  the 
congregation  he  serves — without  loving  it  or  valuing 
it  inordinately  at  alii  A  physician  ought  to  be  as 
really  benevolent  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  He 
ought  to  love  his  patient,  seek  his  good  in  the  ex- 


616 


crcise  of  a  pure  and  a  divine  benevolence  ;  and  he 
ought  to  he  paid  for  his  services  !  And  suppose  this 
is  the  case,  in  reference  to  many  of  that  noble  and 
godlike  calling  ;  as  I  believe  it  is  ;  for  I  have  the  hap- 
piness to  know  certain  members  of  the  profession 
whose  real  piety  and  whose  unobtrusive  self-deny- 
ing beneficence,  will  receive,  I  think,  a  gracious 
and  a  glorious  premium  at  "  the  resurrection  of  the 
just:"  now,  in  reference  to  such,  how  reasonable 
would  it  be  to  call  them  "  hirelings !"  to  say  they 
ought  "to  work  for  nothing  and  find  themselves  !" 
to  vilify  their  motives  as  pre-eminently  base,  be- 
cause they  receive  for  their  services,  {not  for  their 
benevolent  feelings,)  a  proper  compensation  !  or  to 
object  to  such  that  the  business  is  often  abused  ; 
and  that  knaves  and  quacks  and  false  pretenders 
in  abundance  impose  upon  the  public  most  feloni- 
ously !  The  doctrine  of  motives,  however,  is  not 
more  cardinal  here  than  every  where !  it  is  applica- 
ble alike  to  every  man  in  the  world  !  Is  it  in  the 
ministry,  or  the  learned  professions,  alone,  that 
"hirelings"  are  to  be  founds  or  is  it  no  sin  out 
of  the  sacred  office,  and  in  the  common  callings 
of  life  \ 

Friends  indeed  ought  in  justice  to  receive  no  sup- 
port under  the  law  of  Christ's  house,  that  they 
"  who  preach  the  gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel ;" 
for,  first,  the  amount  of  service  they  render  plainly 
and  equitably  deserves,  in  ordinary,  no  compensa- 
tion. They  are  not  devoted  "  wholly  "  or  devoted 
at  all,  in  their  occasional  and  incoherent  speakings  ; 
nor  can  they  be !  inspiration  is  too  unmanageable 


617 


and  uncertain,  as  well  as  too  dignified !  Second, 
They  ought  not  to  receive  any  compensation,  be- 
cause THEY  DO  NOT  "  PREACH  THE  GOSPEL."  They 

do  not  even  preach!  They  only  jump  up  and 
let  the  Spirit  use  their  devoted  organs,  now  and 
then,  to  convey  a  fresh  message  to  a  meeting,  other- 
wise "  silent,"  and  dreaming  j!?(?S5^7>Z^/ more  at  ran- 
dom. Besides,  the  matter  conveyed  is — Quakerism 
and  not  the  gospel !  But,  we  will  change  the  aspect 
of  the  subject. 

1.  It  is  a  fact  that  Friends  sometimes,  on  a  tra- 
velling expedition  in  behalf  of  the  light,  do  prac- 
tically RECOGNISE  ALMOST  THE  IDENTICAL  PRINCI- 
PLE FOR  WHICH  WE  CONTEND  !  and  that  not  merely 
when  a  "  sincere  "  foreigner  (I  particularly  respect 
the  individual  to  whom  I  refer)  gpes  from  America 
to  Europe,  and  even  to  the  presence  of  the  northern 
Czar,  (Alexander,)  to  diffuse  the  light,  or  to  blow 
on  the  almost  expiring  flame  "within"  somebody; 
or  when  a  public  Friendess  gets  an  oracular  im- 
pulse to  go  to  London  (never  to  Shiraz  or  Constan- 
tinople) on  such  lucid  errand,  whether  her  husband 
and  her  nursery  cares  permit  it  or  not ;  but  even  on 
a  tour  of  domestic  missionary  crusading,  such  as 
occasionally  occurs,  as  a  work  very  like  supereroga- 
tion ;  there  is  a  bill  of  traveling  expenses  and  so 
forth,  sometimes  pretty  large,  to  be  "  silently  "  de- 
frayed by  the  society  !  There  are  other  ways  too, 
(some  of  which  I  know,)  of  doing  the  thing,  that 
better  save  appearances  ! 

2.  It  is  strange  that  Friends  do  not  carry  out 
their  principles  more  thoroughly  and  impartially  ! 

73 


G18 


If  it  is  wrong  to  be  a  "hireling"  or  "a  priest," 
and  to  perform  their  services,  is  it  not  wrong  to  be 
partakers  with  them  too  1  Hear  the  order  of  God  ; 
"  neither  be  partaker  of  otlier  men's  sins :  keep 
thyself  pure."  How  guilty  then  are  the  whole  so- 
ciety in  many  respects !  for  example,  on  supposition 
that  they  read  their  English  Bible  as  much  as  they 
would  have  us  all  infer!  for  who  made  that  Bible? 
Alas  !  it  was  notoriously  made  by  learned  Priests, 
Hirelings,  Bishops,  Professors,  and  others,  from  the 
universities  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge  ;  and  at  the 
orders  of  a  warlike  worldly  king,  called,  profanely 
enough.  Defender  of  the  faith.  Head  of  the  church, 
&c.  &c.  The  convention  of  translators  [54  of  them] 
did  it  all  "  in  tlie  will  of  man,"  were  paid  hand- 
somely for  doing  it,  and  never  pretended  to  be 
helped  by  "  inwaf d  light,"  which  was  then  at  least  • 
one-third  of  a  century  earlier  than  the  epoch  of  ita 
foxian  radiations.  Now,  to  say  nothing  of  the  ser- 
mons, hymns,  and  other  devout  publications  that 
they  sometimes  read  and  teach  their  children,  and 
which  were  all  made  by  notorious  Priests,  Hirelings, 
Bishops,  Doctors,  and  such  like,  is  it  right  for 
Friends  to  encourage  that  Bible  I  I  leave  the  so- 
lemn casuistry  with  their  conscience  ;  only  remind- 
ing them  of  the  had  origin  it  had  !  almost  as  bad  as 
you  to  one  person  ! 

3.  I  would  ask  Friends  especially  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  to  consider  at  their  leisure  the  history 
of  many  of  their  inspirati  since  the  commence- 
ment of  the  present  century  !  those  that  have  been 
rather  distinguished  preachers  and  more  distinguish- 


619 


ed  merchants — in  different  departments  of  trade ! 
Are  there  none  to  prove  that,  even  with  their  saga- 
city in  business,  seculars  and  sacreds  do  ill  agree 
when  mixed  in  a  profession  \ — that  confidence  ob- 
tained and  money  loaned  on  the  capital  of  affluent 
'  inward  light,'  and  a  consequent  splash  in  busi- 
ness, has  often  terminated  in  a  subsequent  crash  of 
bankruptcy,  and  "  dealings,"  and  even  "  disown- 
ment  f  that  particular  favor  and  enlargement  "  in 
the  gallery,"  though  it  may  show  the  extraordinary 
illuminism  of  the  preacher,  is  not  equally  a  qualifi- 
cation for  merchandizing  to  ultimate  advantage 
and  that  when  Friends  in  "  easy  circumstances," 
have  been  found  willing  specially  to  aid  a  "  public 
Friend"  in  his  commercial  enterprizes,  they  have 
sometimes  hazarded  their  funds  upon  an  endorse- 
ment that  neither  heaven  nor  earth  would  make 
good  to  them  ]  In  the  church  of  which  it  is  my 
honor  and  pleasure  to  be  a  member  and  a  servant, 
the  reason  assigned  canonically  of  a  competent 
maintenance,  for  a  located  and  wholly  devoted  pas- 
tor, is  that  "  he  may  be  free  from  worldly  cares  and 
avocations  ;"  while  entirely  occupied  in  a  holy 
and  laborious  "  work,"  the  weight  of  which  might 
well  crush  the  shoulders  of  an  angel,  without  the 
accompanying  and  all-sufficient  grace  of  "  the  Lord 
God  omnipotent !" 

But  did  not  Christ  himself  say,  "  Freely  ye  have 
received ;  freely  give."  How  is  this  to  be  recon- 
ciled with  the  common  positions  of  the  clergy  1  I 
answer, 

1.  Not  by  interpreting  it  to  contradict  other 


620 


things  that  he  said  ;  and  especially  as  if  it  were 
designed  to  nullify  the  certain  law  of  his  house,  in 
many  places  laid  down  and  most  incontestably  de- 
monstrated ;  as  shall  be  amply  shown  hereafter. 

2.  The  sentence  occurs  once  only  in  the  New 
Testament;  and  that  under  circumstances  quite 
peculiar  and  extraordinary.  Matt.  10  :  8.  See  from 
verse  7  to  15.  How  much  oftener  is  it  found  in  the 
writings  and  preachings  of  Friends — who  like  no 
other  verse  of  the  nine  as  well  as  that,  which  en- 
ables them  so  piously  to  denounce  the  clergy !  I 
would  however  inform  them  of  one  other  verse  or 
sentence  there  contained,  which  they  may  find  it 
very  mysterious  or  difficult  to  comprehend. 

3.  Jesus  also  said,  verse  10,  "  for  the  workman 
is  worthy  of  his  meat ;"  as  elsewhere,  Luke,  10  :  7. 
"  for  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire."  Now  ob- 
serve, unless  a  moral  inability  should  disqualify  (as 
it  cannot  exonerate)  the  reader,  the  argument  of 
the  Redeemer  :  he  lays  down  a  universal  law  that 
service  should  be  compensated  ;  and  he  applies  this 
to  the  ministry  on  the.  same  occasion.  It  is  "  the 
workman,"  not  one  who  is  no  workman ;  it  is  "  the 
labourer,"  not  the  man  who  "sits  still"  and  never 
really  makes  a  business  of  his  duties  or  ever  pro- 
perly performs  them,  that  is  pronounced  "  worthy  " 
of  a  temporal  support.  For  observe,  Christ  introdu- 
ces this  canon  of  universal  righteousness  to  seal  and 
sanction  his  charge  to  them  to  make  no  provision 
for  their  journey  !  Why  1  because,  others  must 
make  it  for  them !  because,  "  the  workman  is  wor- 
thy of  his  meat !"   Other  reasons  also  appear. 


621 


4.  They  were  empowered  in  plenitude  to  work 
all  kinds  of  miracles  ;  to  "  heal  the  sick,  cleanse  the 
lepers,  raise  the  dead,  cast  out  devils  :"  all  this  he 
charges  them  also  to  do  ;  and  then  immediately 
adds,  "  Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give."  The 
reason  is  obvious,  and  the  consistency  of  the  whole 
is  plain.  It  means,  Do  not  make  merchandise,  nor 
aim  at  wealth,  nor  sell  at  a  specific  cost,  nor  sell  at 
all,  in  the  benevolent  exercise  of  your  powers. 
Heal  and  cure  all  you  can ;  and  do  it  gratuitously. 
You  must  not  be  mercenary,  or  sordid ;  you  must 
not  think  to  make  your  fortunes,  or  exercise  these 
gifts  in  any  worldly  money-making  way  or  for  your 
own  secular  behoof.  "  And  Judas  Iscariot,  who 
also  betrayed  him,"  was  one  of  them.  We  can 
easily  see  how  propense  he  might  have  been,  and 
how  tempted  even  the  others,  to  make  a  fortune, 
a  princely  one,  as  (humanly  speaking)  easily  they 
might,  with  such  powers  and  functions  at  their  con- 
trol !  Let  us  here  distinguish  between  a  support 
while  occupied  in  the  work  ;  and  a  money-making 
career  of  avarice  and  sacrilege.  The  latter  is  wholly 
forbidden,  even  in  its  first  principles  ;  the  former, 
is  approved  and  inculcated  :  both  in  the  same  con- 
nection, in  the  same  charge,  and  by  the  authority 
of  the  same  Savior  !  How  impartial  is  Quakerism ! 
How  sharp-sighted  !  How  disinterested !  How  mag- 
nanimous !  How  candid  !  How  inspired !  Accord- 
ing to  the  light,  the  workman  is  not  worthy  of  his 
meat !  nor  the  laborer  of  his  hire  !  there  is  no  dif- 
ference between  receiving  a  competent  support,  for 
service  of  the  most  exalted  and  beneficial  kind,  per- 


G22 


formed  with  labor,  sacrifice,  toil ;  and  a  reprobate 
and  "  hireling  "  delinquency  in  office  !  Besides, 
What  was  it  that  they  had  "  freely  received  ]"  I 
answer,  the  poicer  of  miracles  sjjecijically  !  And  how 
is  it  that  a  competent  ministry  in  our  day  becomes 
such  1  how  gets  it  the  qualifications  plainly  requi- 
site 1  Is  it  by  native  talent,  by  intuition,  by  con- 
struction", by  miraculous  endowment  1  Not  so  :  but 
by  the  most  exhausting  and  devoted  application 
comparatively  ever  exemplified  !  by  study,  medita- 
tion, midnight  vigils,  years  of  thoughtful  and  de- 
bilitating care  ;  by  prayer ;  by  fasting  ;  by  aflSic— 
tions  ;  by  spiritual  exercises  of  their  own  inten- 
sity and  solemnity  ;  by  self-denial ;  by  ignominy, 
persecution  often,  contempt  in  some  relations,  slan- 
der of  motives,  mean  prevaricating  envy,  being 
made  the  theme  of  infidel  jargon  and  debate,  "  the 
song  of  the  drunkard,"  the  jest  of  the  mirthful,  the 
raillery  of  the  profane,  and  the  object  of  inspired 
denunciation. 

The  very  butt  of  slander,  and  the  blot 

For  every  shaft  that  malice  ever  shot ! — Cowper. 

A  competent  education  for  the  ministry,  where  no 
miracles  are,  cannot,  I  maintain,  be  acquired  by 
any  man  on  the  globe,  without  cost,  time,  occupa- 
tion, and  absorption  of  soul,  through  a  process  of 
seasoning  and  preparation  ;  which  ought  in  ever- 
lasting equity  to  be  considered  in  the  argument !  so 
that  our  non-miraculous  acquisitions,  as  every  one 
knoiDS  that  makes  them,  have  never  come  to  us 


C23 


"  freely  "  in  the  sense  of  the  passage.  Just  the  re- 
verse. Under  God,  we  have  attained  them  (our 
official  furniture — I  mean)  by  our  own  self-denying 
personal  effort,  through  a  term  of  devoted  years ! 
Under  God,  we  have  made  them  painfully  our- 
selves !  Under  God,  whose  strength  has  been  our  all 
in  the  agony,  we  are  self-made  and  self-qualified 
"  stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God."  God  qua- 
lifies men  for  glory  and  for  office  both,  in  a  way 
which  gives  no  premium  to  idleness,  no  sanction  to 
presumption,  no  palliation  to  the  hateful  sin  of  su- 
pineness.  Drones,  idlers,  usurpers,  he  abhors  to- 
gether ;  and  he  abhors  "  sorcerers  "  too,  however 
refined  their  principles,  or  covert  their  address,  or 
unknown  to  men  their  secret  practisings !  Rev. 
21  :  8,  27.  I  say  more  on  this  topic,  because 
Friends  have  it  stereotyped  and  docketed,  for  in- 
exhaustible service  in  calumniating  the  ministers 
of  God. 

But  we  cannot  think  a  fixed  salary,  a  regular  in- 
come, proper;  we  object  to  stated  compensation  and 
a  stipendiary  ministry.  Do  you  •  Hoio  often  would 
you  be  willing,  and  hoio  much  as  related  to  the  wants 
of  life,  to  pay  for  the  support  of  the  ministry  1  How 
long  ought  the  intervals  of  starvation  to  be  ;  and 
how  certain  the  instances  of '  something'  grudgingly 
afibrded,  to  encourage  the  appetite,  or  to  clothe  the 
limbs,  or  to  house  the  person,  in  the  mean  time  ?  I 
would  know  too  who  gave  you  what  you  have  '!  wiio 
"  gave  himself  for  you!"  and  whom  do  you  "rob," 
if  you  starve  or  straiten  meanly  the  ministers  of  his 
religion,  who  is  "  a  jealous  God?"  Mai.  3:  8-18. 


624 

* 

Where  service  is  regular;  where  all  the  hours  and 
powers  are  absorbed  wholly  "  in  it ;  where  wants 
are  constant  and  inevitable  to  "  men  in  the  body  ;" 
where  a  family  as  dear  as  others  is  dependent ; 
where  all  the  reasons  of  support  exist  uniformly  : 
why  should  "  a  competent  worldly  maintenance " 
be  denied  by  those  very  persons  who  enjoy  the  di- 
vine advantage  of  the  ministry  l  It  will  be  seen 
that  we  are  not  eleemosynary  in  our  argument.  We 
are  not  mendicants,  paupers,  alms-askers,  or  place- 
men. We  believe  it  just,  not  kind  ;  right,  not  cha- 
ritable ;  due,  not  given  I  and  this  by  common  equi- 
ty and  divine  authority  united  !  We  mean  that  the 
"  workman  is  worthy  of  his  meat ;  the  laborer,  of 
his  hire."  We  mean  that  while  the  rich  and  the 
poor  should  contribute  together,  "  according  to  their 
several  ability,"  so  that  there  might  "  be  an  equali- 
ty "  of  assessment ;  it  should  be  done  by  both  as  a 
holy  offering,  a  privilege,  a  duty,  an  act  of  worship 
to  the  Lord  ;  as  that  to  withhold  which  were  as  bad 
as  simony,  as  wrong  as  sacrilege.  We  mean,  how- 
ever, that  every  man  should  be  left  to  his  perfect 
freedom  and  responsibility  in  the  matter  ;  that  no 
secular  tax  should  be  levied  for  collection  by  the 
magistracy ;  that  no  coertion  should  be  used  in  the 
church  of  God,  forcing  them  to  honor  the  laws  of 
Christ — that  is,  to  dishonor  them.  We  place  the 
position  upon  the  basis  of  moral  and  evangelical 
law  alone  :  and  say,  if  any  man  scorn,  let  him  an- 
swer it  to  God.  We  want  no  grudging  contributors  ; 
no  press-gang  for  recruiting  volunteers ;  no  civil 
legislation  or  taxation  on  the  subject     "  My  king- 


625 


dom  is  not  of  this  world."  Wo  be  to  the  system 
that  denies  it"  !^*' 

But  did  not  Paul  refuse  to  receive  such  compen- 
sation 1  Answer, 

1.  That  he  did  on  several  occasions ;  and  the 
same  is  often  done,  to  my  certain  knowledge,  by 
the  ministry  of  our  day.  There  are  occasions  that 
demand,  and  others  that  become,  a  surrendry  of 
right  in  the  premises.  These  occasions  existed 
more  in  the  case  and  work  and  relations  of  the 
apostles,  and  the  preachers  of  the  first  ages,  intro- 
ducing and  establishing  Christianity  with  its  lasting 
jurisdiction  in  the  world,  than  to  the  same  extent 
they  ever  can  in  all  probability  again.  But  mark 
the  difference.  Friends  (1)  argue  from  the  excep- 
tion, and  not  from  the  rule.  (2)  They  deny  the 
law  of  Christ  respecting  support,  because  some  of 
his  noble  servants  occasionally  decline  the  claim  it 
gives  them.  (3)  They  nullify  the  virtue  of  the  acts 
they  panegyrize ;  for,  if  there  be  no  law  in  favor  of 
support,  there  is  plainly  no  right  to  it ;  if  there  is 
prohibition  of  a  maintenance,  it  were  treason  and 
perjury  to  demand  it ;  if  it  were  sin  and  gross  ini- 
quity to  receive  it,  where,  I  ask,  is  the  great  virtue 
of  declining  it  1  In  what  a  ridiculous  light  do  they 
place  those  generous  men,  who  tell  us,  as  if  it  were 
worthy  of  approbation  at  le.ast,  that  they  voluntarily 
forewent — that  to  which  they  had  no  right  !  they 
magnanimously  forebore — from  the  sin  of  sacrilege  ! 
their  exalted  apostolic  virtue  most  exemplarily — 
omitted  to  rob  the  church  of  God  !  Is  it  for  such 
distinguished  virtue  as  this,  or  for  self-denial  equal- 

79 


626 


ly  illustrious,  that  preachers  of  the  society,  male 
and  female,  expect  the  reward  of  everlasting  life  X 
Well !  We  may  soon  expect  to  see  men  claim- 
ing statues,  obelisks,  and  monumental  honors,  from 
congress,  for  the  enormous  civic  virtues  of  not  set- 
ting houses  on  fire,  or  practising  assassination,  or 
robbing  banks,  or  for  denying  themselves  from  such 
desired  gratifications  ;  if  these  principles  of  illu- 
mination become  prevalent !  But,  (4)  Paul  did 
something  beside  demit  his  claim  magnanimously, 
when  just  occasion  offered  :  he  laid  down  the  law 
of  Christ's  house  on  the  subject  at  large  ;  main- 
tained his  own  right  to  what  he  spontaneously  de- 
clined ;  accepted  "  wages  "  of  the  better  minded,  at 
the  very  time,  that,  thus  supported,  he  served  others, 
and  these  wealthy  as  those  were  not,  from  whom 
(and  it  was  their  "  inferiority  "  and  dishonor)  he  re- 
fused to  receive  any  thing.  All  this  is  most  certain 
truth.  I  am  both  sure  of  it,  and  sure  that  I  can 
prove  it  against  all  sober  objections  ;  and  that  from 
many  passages  :  I  will  however  refer  only  to  two. 
The  first  occurs  in  1  Cor.  9  :  1-16.  The  reader  may 
peruse  it  all,  to  verse  27,  if  he  will :  for  the  argu- 
ment is  continuous  and  glorious.  I  shall  give  its 
scope  with  select  quotations. 

Corinth  was  the  rich  and  niggardly  community 
whom  Paul  served  at  the  charges  of  the  Macedo- 
nian churches,  who  were  comparatively  poor.  In 
that  city  he  was  their  missionary  ;  and  also  in  his 
extremity,  he  there  "  wrought "  at  tent-making  for 
a  time,  rather  than  receive  any  thing  from  them. 
Acts,  18  :  3.    His  reasons  we  shall  see  hereafter — 


627 


Friends  may  well  dread  to  look  at  them  !  In  the 
eighth  chapter  he  is  discussing  the  casuistry  of 
using  "  things  offered  unto  idols ;"  and  after  des- 
patching the  main  points,  he  introduces  and  large- 
ly enforces  this  principle ;  that  christian  liberty 
ought  not  to  he  abused ;  and  that  often  one's  own 
rights  are  to  be  foregone  and  surrendered  for  the 
sake  of  the  gospel.  This  principle  he  illustrates  in 
the  whole  of  the  ninth  chapter,  and  then  more  ap- 
plies it  in  the  tenth  and  onward.  But  how  illus- 
trates he  it  1  Mark !  by  citing  his  own  example 
toward  themselves.  He  had  the  perfect  liberty 
and  the  perfect  right  to  a  competent  temporal 
support ;  but  he  was  so  far  from  insisting  on 
it  from  them,  that  from  them  he  refused  it  perse- 
veringly.  "  Am  I  not  an  apostle  \  am  I  not  free  ]" 
he  inquires.  "  Mine  answer  to  them  that  do  exa- 
mine me,"  (they  were  probably  Friends — so  ancient 
is  the  sect  substantially  in  several  aspects,)  "  is  this ; 
Have  we  not  power  (right,  authority)  to  eat  and  to 
drink  \  Have  we  not  power  to  lead  about  a  sister,  a 
wife,  as  well  as  other  apostles,  and  as  the  brethren 
of  the  Lord,  and  Cephas  1  ( Peter  1 )  or  I  only 
and  Barnabas,"  are  we  specially  excluded  from  it  1 
have  not  we  power  to  forbear  working  \  Who  go- 
eth  a  warfare  [he  might  perhaps  afford  to  "  sit  still " 
in  meeting]  at  any  time  at  his  own  charges  \  Who 
planteth  a  vineyard,  and  eatetli  not  of  the  fruit 
thereof]  or  who  feedeth  a  flock,  and  eateth  not  of 
the  milk  of  the  flock  X  Say  I  these  things  as  a  man  \ 
or  saith  not  the  law  the  same  also  \  For  it  is  writ- 
ten in  the  law  of  Moses,  Thou  shalt  not  muzzle 


628 


THE  MOUTH  OF  THE  OX  THAT  TREADETH  OUT  THE 

CORN.  Doth  God  take  care  for  oxen  ]  or  saith  he 
it  ALTOGETHER  FOR  OUR  SAKES 1  For  oiir  sakcs,  no 
doubt,  this  is  written :  that  he  that  ploweth,  should 
plow  in  hope  ;  and  that  he  that  thresheth  in  hope, 
should  be  partaker  of  his  hope.  IF  WE  HAVE 
SOWN  UiNTO  YOU  SPIRITUAL  THINGS, 
IS  IT  A  GREAT  THING  IF  WE  SHALL 
REAP  YOUR  CARNAL  THINGS  1"  Yes  ! 
Paul.  Friends  know  by  inspiration  that  such  a  reap- 
ing would  prove  you  a  base  reprobate,  a  hireling,  a 
hypocrite  !  But  let  us  farther  listen  to  Paul's  heresy. 
"  If  others  be  partakers  of  this  power  over  you, 
are  not  we  rather  1  Nevertheless  we  have  not  used 
this  power  ;  but  suffer  all  things,  lest  we  should  hin- 
der the  gospel  of  Christ.  Do  ye  not  know  that  they 
who  minister  about  holy  things,  live  of  the  things 
of  fhe  temple  ;  and  they  who  wait  at  the  altar, 
are  partakers  with  the  altar  1  EVEN  SO  HATH 
THE  LORD  ORDAINED  THAT  THEY  WHO 
PREACH  THE  GOSPEL  SHOULD  LIVE  OF 
THE  GOSPEL."  What  could  be  plainer  or  more 
decisive  1  Friends  have  a  method  of  evading  it 
however  which  is  sufficiently  mean.  It  is  by  saying 
that  it  is  a  spiritual  "  living  of  the  gospel ;"  and  the 
compensation  of  enjoying  "holy  things"  more  than 
others,  that  is  meant.  I  will  tell  an  anecdote.  A 
Friend,  in  one  of  his  moon-struck  peregrinations  of 
preaching,  came  with  his  retinue  to  a  village  and 
held  a  conventicle.  There  he  denounced  the  wick- 
edness of  supporting  the  regular  ministrations  of 
the  gospel,  and  especially  his  who  statedly  officiated 


629 


in  the  place  :  and  among  other  things,  "clearly  seen 
in  the  light"  which  "  makes  manifest  and  deceives 
nobody,"  was  this  gloss,  just  given,  about  spiritual 
living  and  "  holy  things  "  in  the  ministry.  After 
the  sedentary  engagement  was  adjourned,  a  layman 
asked  an  interview  with  the  preacher.  O  yes  !  was 
the  reply ;  all  kindness  and  good  will  to  men : 
perfectly  willing  to  see  the  friend.  I  thought,  sir, 
said  he,  that  Paul  was  a  christian,  till  I  heard  your 
sermon  this  afternoon.  The  Friend  looked,  and  an- 
swered, O  certainly;  I  never  meant  to  say  he  was 
not  a  christian.  Thee  is  in  a  mistake  surely.  Re- 
joined the  querist,  Well,  possibly.  But  let  us  see. 
You  said  that  they  were  *  holy  things  '  alone  that 
Paul  respected.  I  did.  But  Paul  immediately  de- 
clares *  But  I  have  used  none  of  these  things.' 

Now,  if  he  never  used  them,  and  they  were  essen- 
tially spiritual  and  holy  things,  and  he  even  *  gloried,' 
V.  15.  in  total  abstinence  from  them,  how  could  he 
be  a  christian  ?  Will  you,  sir,  who  know,  inform 
me  \  O  Friend,  I  see  thee  is  in  no  mind  to  be  in- 
structed.   Farewell.    Thus  endeth  the  story. 

I  now  pass  to  the  other  passage  to  which  I  refer- 
red ;  premising  its  historical  as  well  as  moral  con- 
nection with  the  former.  Before  I  quote,  I  will  beg 
the  serious  or  the  honest  reader  to  peruse  it  carefully 
once:  2  Cor.  11  :  7-15.  The  outline  of  its  history 
is  this.  In  Paul's  absence  from  Corinth,  where  he 
first  broke  ground  and  "  planted  "  the  church  alone, 
many  false  teachers  had  "  unawares  crept  in  ;"  and 
were  bent  upon  decoying  or  rather  reforming  the 
church  away  from  Paul.    They  impeached  his  mo- 


630 


lives  ;  denied  his  apostleship  ;  derided  his  preten- 
sions ;  tried  to  supersede  his  influence,  to  defame 
his  orthodoxy,  to  degrade  his  person,  and  to  ruin  his 
usefuhiess.  Among  other  things,  they  accused  him 
of  being  a  "  hireling  "  in  his  general  practice,  and 
of  preaching  for  money ;  and  to  put  him  down  and 
keep  the  elevated  vantage-ground  above  him,  they 
gloried  in  their  own  preaching  without  fee,  emolu- 
ment, or  reward  !  they  were  as  disinterested  exactly 
as  Friends — in  vilifying  the  ministry  of  God.  And 
they  seem  for  a  time  to  have  prospered  in  their  cor- 
rupting influence.  On  these  accounts,  be  it  known, 
he  would  receive  nothing  in  the  way  of  salary  from 
the  church  at  Corinth.  Not  that  many  pious  per- 
sons there  were  unwilling  to  do  their  duty  :  he  would 
accept  nothing  from  them,  because  of  these  inno- 
vating competitors.  He  preferred  to  receive  a  salary 
from  the  poor  churches  at  the  North  ;  this  was  the 
dishonor  of  the  one,  the  lasting  renown  of  the  other. 
With  this  exposition,  take  his  words ;  and  observe 
how  charitable  real  inspiration  is,  toward  those  who 
corrupt  the  truth,  traduce  the  ministry,  and  "  per- 
vert the  right  ways  of  the  Lord."  Thus  ;  "  Have  I 
committed  an  offence  in  abasing  myself  that  ye 
might  be  exalted,"  i.  e.  with  the  benefit,  "  because 
I  have  preached  unto  you  the  gospel  of  God  freely? 
I  robbed  other  churches,  ^taking  wages  of  them, 
to  do  you  service.  And  when  I  was  present  with 
you,  and  wanted,  I  was  chargeable  to  no  man :  for 
that  which  was  lacking  to  me,  the  brethren  who 
came  from  Macedonia  supplied  :  (see  chap.  8  :  1-6, 
for  the  resources  and  the  financiering  of  their  be- 


631 


nevolence :)  and  in  all  things  I  have  kept  myself 
from  being  burdensome  unto  you,  and  so  will  I 
keep  myself.  As  the  truth  of  Christ  is  in  me,  no 
man  shall  stop  me  of  this  boasting  in  the  regions  of 
Achaia  :"  i.  e.  in  Corinth  and  its  wide  vicinity.  He 
proceeds.  "Wherefore^  because  I  love  you  not? 
God  knoweth."  He  means  to  deny  that  want  of  love 
to  them  was  the  reason  of  such  ill-looking  independ- 
ence. The  real  reasons  of  it  he  next  specifies  ;  let 
Friends  hear  it  and  tremble  in  a  new  vocation,  and 
quake  on  a  just  account.  "  But  what  I  do,  that  I 
will  do,  that  I  may  cut  off  occasion  from  them 
that  desire  occasion  ;  that  wherein  they  glory,  ^Jji 
05^  they  may  be  found  even  as  we.  For  such 
(Cr'are  false  apostles,  05^deceitful  workers,  Ol/^trans- 
forming  themselves  into  the  apostles  of  Christ. — 
(t?*  And  no  marvel ;  for  satan  himself  is  transform- 
ed into  an  angel  of  light.  Therefore  it  is  no  great 
thing  if  HIS  MINISTERS  also  be  transformed  as  the 
MINISTERS  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS  ;  whoso  end  " — alas  ! 
they  little  think  of  it — "  shall  be  according  to  their 
works."  On  this  I  remark,  1.  That  Friends  are  a 
very  ancient  society  in  some  of  their  peculiarities. 
The  opposers  of  clerical  influence  at  Corinth  were 
enlightened  much  in  their  way.  Their  leader  re- 
sembled "  an  angel  of  light,"  more  luciferous,  for 
aught  I  know,  than  Fox  himself.  The  apostle  very 
often  sketches  their  portrait,  or  traces  a  limb  of 
their  body,  in  other  places  of  his  epistles  to  the  Co- 
rinthians. He  felt  about  their  preaching,  which  I 
suppose  was  equally  sincere  with  theirs,  very  much, 
to  be  plain,  as  I  do  respecting  that  of  Friends,  as 


632 


)f elated  to  the  salvation  of  souls-  2  Cor.  11  :  1-6. 
"  But  I  fear,  lest  by  any  means,  as  the  serpent  be- 
guiled Eve  through  his  subtilty,  so  your  minds 
should  be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in 
Christ.  For  if  he  that  cometh  preacheth  another 
Jesus,  whom  we  have  not  preached  ;  or  if  ye  re- 
ceive ANOTHER  SPIRIT,  which  ye  have  not  received, 
or  ANOTHER  GOSPEL,  which  ye  have  not  accepted ; 
ye  might  well  bear  with  me."  The  last  word  is  im- 
properly him  in  our  translation.  2.  They  resem- 
bled Friends  in  the  distinguishing  doctrine  that  the 
christian  ministry,  apostles  and  all,  had  no  right  to 
a  temporal  support ;  and  in  this  immense  and  va- 
poring disinterestedness  (pride  with  a  holy  mask) 
"  they  gloried."  A  style  of  masquerade  this,  that 
has  been  long  in  vogue  and  appears  to  admirable 
advantage  !  Hence  Paul,  to  "  cut  off  "  the  "  o->ca- 
sion  "  of  their  boasting,  and  fix  himself  on  the  same 
level  with  them  in  that  particular,  would  never  ac- 
cept any  maintenance  from  Corinth.  "  For  what 
is  it,"  he  inquires,  "  wherein  ye  were  inferior 
TO  OTHER  CHURCHES,  cxcept  it  be  that  I  myself  was 
not  burdensome  to  you  1  Forgive  me  this  wrong^' 
12  :  13.  1  Thess  2  :  6,  9.  It  was  not  I,  Friends, 
that  made  the  truth  !  3.  They  are  denounced  as 
ministers  of  the  devil;  denounced  by  an  apostle  of 
God  !  This  is  solemn  sentiment  indeed!  My  pen 
seems  to  loiter  and  its  ink  to  freeze.  Like  the  arch- 
fiend himself,  their  light  was  very  much  annoyed 
by  "  the  word  of  God."  And  yet  their  characteris- 
tic glorying  was  in  their  gratuitous  ministry  ;  as  it 
itnpeached  Paul  and  the  "  other  apostles  "  (1  Cor. 


033 


9  :  5.)  of     hireling  "  baseness.    Like  satan  too, 
whose  ministers  they  were,  they  preached  without 
a  salary :  for  he  has  been  notoriously  engaged  in 
preaching  gratis  from  the  beginning!    Who  gave 
him  a  call  to  the  see  of  Eden  \  who  paid  him  for 
his  first  sermon  there  I    It  was  all  disinterested,  all 
without  fee,  all  opposed  to  a  stipendiary  ministry ! 
What  a  veteran  he,  in  the  anti-salary  cause  !  What 
a  venerable  precedent!  What  an  ancient  example  ! 
Could  a  real  "  angel  of  light "  set  off  the  matter 
more  luminously  as  it  ought  to  be  !   Hence  all  the 
whole  succession  of  ministerial  agents,  that  have 
taken  orders  under  his  renowned  authority,  and 
gloried  in  their  amazing  virtue  in  abstaining  from 
that  to  which  they  had  (they  said)  no  right,  and 
which  it  were  spiritual  felony  (they  said)  to  touch  ; 
have  resembled  each  other  not  only  in  that  particu- 
lar, but  peculiarly,  since  the  christian  era,  in  their 
organized  antipathy  to  Paul !  and  generally  in  their 
devout  and  spiritual  objection  to  the  '  outward  '  tes- 
timony, called  imijrojperly,  "  the  word  of  God  !" 
They  must  at  Corinth  have  put  the  epistles  of 
Paul,  I  ween,  very  low  down  as  "  a  secondary  rulel" 
They  did  all  they  could  to  show  the  people  there 
"  a  more  noble  and  excellent  rule,"  than  the  *  out- 
ward '  one  of  Paul's  ministry.    It  was  a  fine  occa- 
sion for  some  such  "opening"  as  that  of  "  the 
light  in  every  man."    I  remark,  once  more,  on  this 
tremendous  passage,  which  not  one  Friend  in  ten 
thousand  understands ;  4.  That  the  criterion  of 
their  development  and  detection  was,  what  it  is, 

SIMPLY  THE  WORD  OF  GoD,    THE   INSPIRED  SCRIP- 

60 


634 


TURES.  One  object,  a  great  one,  of  tlie  second  epis- 
tle to  the  Corinthians,  was  to  apprise  the  church  of 
the  real  character  and  correspondence  of  the  in- 
novators, and  help  them  to  the  proper  criterion  of 
discrimination.  The  same  etherial  test  remains  to 
this  day  !  The  principles  involved  are  precisely  the 
same.  All  the  children  of  false  light  tremble  at 
its  inquisition  and  degrade  its  dignity.  By  what 
other,  not  to  say  better,  touchstone,  shall  corrup- 
ters be  tried  I  By  their  own  inspiration  \  that  ora- 
cle sustains  them.  By  their  smoothness  1  You  can 
as  soon  condemn  "  an  angel  of  light."  By  their 
good  works  t  Why,  they  are  "  transformed  as  the 
ministers  of  righteousness ;"  and  they  know  how  to 
act  their  part  so  as  "  to  deceive,  if  it  were  possible, 
the  very  elect."  Blessed  be  God,  this  is  ultimately 
impossible  !  The  main  reason,  however,  as  the 
means  of  their  conservation  in  the  truth,  is  this  ; 
they  judge  not  by  "the  appearance;"  they  judge 
"  righteous  judgment,"  impartially  using  in  all  di- 
rections "  the  measuring  reed  "  of  angels  and  of 
saints,  which  is  THE  WORD  OF  GOD.  Ob- 
serve the  style  in  which  the  Spirit  of  God  denounces 
these  gratuitous  preachers  :  he  denounces  them  in 
a  class  !  "  for  such  are  false  apostles."  He  says  not 
these,  as  if  referring  personally  to  the  men  at  Co- 
rinth :  but  such  as  these  6i  yap  tovovroi,  meaning  all 
such,  no  matter  where  or  when  they  live.  '  Behold, 
the  picture.  Is  it  like— like  whom  1'  It  is  not  like 
the  original  of  a  true  minister  of  the  true  God.  In 
Palestine  there  were  forty-eight  cities  of  the  Le- 
vites  ;  a  tribe  (one-twelfth  of  the  population)  devot- 


635 


ed  to  sacerdotal  service,  maintaining  the  wor- 
ship of  God ;  and  the  whole  population  required  to 
contribute  proportionately  to  sustain  the  provision- 
ary  institute.  "  Even  so  hath  the  Lord  or- 
dained THAT  THEY  WHO  PREACH  THE  GOSPEL 
SHOULD  LIVE  OF  THE    GOSPEL."      If  this  WBYB  not 

"  a  secondary  rule,"  and  to  be  so  "  esteemed,"  I 
should  think  its  evidence  quite  conclusive.  No  doubt 
at  all  have  I,  possessing  no  light  within  that  can 
nullify  the  word  of  God,  that  it  is  indeed  his  ordi- 
nance divine  that  the  ministry  of  his  gospel  should 
be  supported  as  competently  and  regularly  as  their 
wants  recur  ;  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  person  in 
the  world  in  some  way  to  contribute  heartily  to  this 
end  ;  that  a  faithful  ministry  deserve  such  a  sup- 
port, if  any  other  class  of  "  workmen  "  in  society  de- 
serve it ;  that  it  is  the  direct  and  supreme  interest 
of  all  men,  and  of  all  communities,  to  honor  this 
constitution  ;  that  no  local  community  can  afford 
to  do  without  its  permanent  influence ;  and  that 
every  other  theoi'y  in  the  case  is  human  and  not 
divine,  wrong  and  not  right,  and  as  much  opposed 
to  the  temporal  as  it  is  more  terribly  to  the  eternal 
interests  of  our  kind  !  Every  place  in  the  world 
needs  the  benefit  and  the  blessing  of  a  competent 
and  regular  christian  ministry — infinitely  more  than 
they  need — in  contrast  or  competition — wealth, 
health,  or  any  sublunary  good !  But  I  have  no 
more  to  say,  rich  as  the  subject  is — except  this  : 
to  oppose  the  competent  temporal  maintenance  of 
the  christian  ministry,  is  the  work  of  the  murderer 
of  souls  ;  is  unreasonable ;  unscriptural ;  is  ad- 


636 


verse  to  the  highest  interests  of  probationary  man  ; 
and  to  be  resolved  into  the  unity  and  the  infidehty, 
the  deceit  and  the  real  irreligion,  of  the  reign  of 
antichrist  and  the  empire  of  death.  "  He  that 
hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear." 

IV.  On  the  right  of  females  to  the  ministerial 
office,  equal  with  that  of  the  other  sex,  as  alleged 
by  Friends,  I  shall  remark  in  conclusion. 

1.  They  say,  "  male  and  female"  are  all  one  in 
Christ ;  therefore  they  are  alike  competent.  An- 
swer, for  the  same  reason,  so  are  "  barbarian  and 
Scythian,  bond  and  free,  wise  and  unwise,"  girls  and 
boys  !  The  premises  do  not  warrant  the  conclu- 
sion. They  refer  to  membership  and  communion ; 
not  to  office  and  station  in  the  church.  Nor  do 
such  expressions  refer  at  all  to  the  subject  of  the 
ministry  ;  and  where  such  reference  is  plain,  women 
are  as  plainly  prohibited.  But, 

2.  They  have  very  valuable  gifts,  that  ought  not 
to  be  lost  to  the  church.  True.  For  one  I  am  less 
offended  rather,  to  hear  an  inspired  woman  than 
man  !  But  is  there  no  way  for  their  gifts  to  be  ex- 
ercised, economized,  and  honored  ;  but  by  publi- 
city, headship,  office,  and  a  face  of  nudity  staring  at 
hundreds  of  men  !  "  for  it  is  a  shame  for  women  to 
speak  in  the  church."" 

3.  The  Lord  has  used  them  aforetime,  as  say  the 
scriptures.  I  reply,  (1)  You  here  argue  from  the 
exception,  not  the  rule.  Deborah,  Huldah,  and  a 
very  few  others,  were  occasionally  and  rarely  em- 
ployed in  extraordinary  circumstances  and  for  ends 
as  uncommon.  But,  was  this  ordinary  at  all  ?  Who 


637 


ever  heard  of  such  a  monster,  in  the  history  of  the 
Jewish  priesthood,  as  a  priestess !  A  heathen  py- 
thoness or  vestal  indeed — but  no  such  order,  no 
such  thing,  among  the  Israel  of  God  !  With  Friends 
the  order  exists.  Ordinarily  too  the  inspiratae — 
inspired  women — are  far  the  more  numerous  bench. 
Matrons  and  spinsters  sometimes  doubly  out-num- 
ber their  masculine  co-presbyters ;  and  often  out- 
preach  them  too,  in  quantity  and  quality,  matter  and 
manner  !  (2)  When  they  allege  it  as  proper  to  the 
new  dispensation  peculiarly,  to  equalize  the  sexes 
in  office,  they  argue  again  from  most  questionable 
premises.  Jesus  Christ  often  sent  out  preachers, 
on  one  occasion  "  seventy "  at  once  ;  but,  in  no 
recorded  instance  of  his  ministry  did  he  (t?*  ever 

ORDAIN    OR  AUTHORIZE    A  WOMAN  TO  PREACH  THE 

GOSPEL.  (5)  When  they  speak  of  a  woman  "  pro- 
phecying,"  and  quote  Acts,  2  :  17,  18.  21 :  9.  and 
possibly  a  few  less  considerable  places ;  we  can 
easily  reply  (what  no  evidence  can  answer  or  refute) 
first.  That  such  an  inference  as  theirs  would  de- 
monstrate the  worst  kind  of  absolute  contradiction 
in  the  scriptures  ;  where  it  is  a  proper  rule  of  inter- 
preting, to  compare  related  passages,  to  let  the 
book  speak  for  itself,  to  prefer  the  clear  to  the 
doubtful,  the  certain  to  the  uncertain,  the  easy  to  the 
difficult ;  and  not  the  contrary.  And,  second,  That 
the  word  prophecy  with  all  its  cognates,  is  used 
throughout  the  Bible  with  such  latitude  as  to  show 
that  it  is  generic,  not  specific  ;  and  of  itself  deter- 
mines nothing  in  respect  to  office  !*^*^  The  passage 
quoted  from  Joel,  refers  mainly  to  the  ordinary  cha- 


638 


racters  of  a  trne  revival  of  religion,  where  the  young 
and  the  old  of  both  sexes  are  brought  to  believe 
and  love  the  gospel.  Hence  their  speech  is  differ- 
ent. Every  one  of  them  in  some  way  begins  to 
"  prophecy  ;"  for,  "  ont  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mouth  speaketh."  Third.  In  that  age 
of  miracles  and  prodigies  and  portents,  no  doubt, 
the  exceptions  were  to  be  more  expected,  and  were 
probably  more  frequent ;  still,  they  were  exceptions 
to  the  rule,  and  exceptions  only,  that  confirmed  it. 

My  main  position  is,  That  the  rule  is  laid  down 
in  the  New  Testament  as  clear  as  day^  and  as  abso- 
lute as  the  authority  of  God,  against  a  female  mi- 
nistry. If  this  is  proved,  we  must  infer  the  fallacy 
of  their  whole  system  too  ;  for  it  stands  on  a  kind 
of  inspiration — "  strange  fire" — that  sanctions  such 
a  ministry. 

I  will  here  refer  to  two  passages,  each  of  which, 
and  more  especially  both,  are  conclusive.  If  any 
one  will  not  consent  to  this,  I  am  sure  that  it  is  of 
no  use  to  argue  with  him.  There  are  multitudes  of 
unreasonable  and  wicked  men,  for  all  men  have 
not  faith  ;"  2  Thess.  3  : 2,  from  whom  we  may  well 
pray,  as  did  Paul,  "  that  we  maybe  delivered."  If 
any  man  or  woman  is  resolved,  at  all  events,  in  the 
true  temper  of  the  Jides  carhonaria  or  believing 
what  others  believe  with  whom  we  were  educated  ; 
I  can  only  say,  my  mind  is  not  so  disciplined.  I 
prefer  evidence,  truth,  divine  authority.  To  believe 
without  evidence  or  against  it,  may  justly  define  an 
infidel,  but  never  a  christian. 

The  first  passage  occurs  in  1  Cor.  14  :  29-40. 


639 


Here  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  manner  in  which 
"  the  prophets  "  or  pubhc  ministers  are  to  exercise 
their  gifts  :  mark,  the  prophets  or  regular  ministry  ; 
not  the  people  or  all  indiscriminately.  But  are  fe- 
males authorized  I  Hear !  "  Let  your  women  keep 
silence  in  the  churches  ;  for  it  is  not  permitted  unto 
them  to  speak  :  but  they  are  commanded  to  be  under 
obedience,  as  also  saith  the  law."  I  infer,  1.  That 
both  dispensations  are  alike  in  this  matter.  The 
gospel  forbids  them;  "as  also  saith  the  law." 
Shall  we  charge  the  Holy  Ghost  with  judaizing  ? 
2.  That  women,  as  such,  are  forbidden  "  to  speak  ;" 
which  "  is  NOT  permitted  unto  them."  They  are 
positively  commanded  to  "  keep  silence  in  the 
churches  :" — not  "a  silent  meeting;"  for  the  other 
sex  speak.  Barclay,  and  other  phosphors  "whose 
fire  was  kindled  at  that  propliet's  lamp,"  allege  that 
this  was  only  a  special  interdict  under  which  the 
ladies  at  Corinth  were  put,  because  of  their  re- 
markable garrulity  and  forwardness  ;  with  a  few 
other  things  about  as  wise.  I  reply — the  allegation 
is  manifestly  false !  It  is  a  shameful  fabrication 
AGAINST  the  plainest  evidence.  The  reasons  alleg- 
ed by  the  apostle,  here  and  elsewhere,  are  plainly 
universal ;  no  honesty  with  its  eyes  open  can  re- 
strict them  to  the  females  of  any  particular  church. 
"  And  if  they  will  learn  any  thing,  let  them  ask  their 
husbands  at  home  ;  for  CCr"  it  is  a  shame  for  wo- 
men TO  speak  in  the  church."  a  young  spinster 
of  the  vocation,  once  asked  me  if  I  would  literalize 
the  order  above  as  to  "asking  their  husbands?"  1 
replied  substantially  thus ;  Not  in  these  times.  And 


G40 


if  you  demand,  why  virgin  ladies  were  not  prohibit- 
ed by  statute,  the  only  reason  of  which  I  can  think 
is  this — there  was  then  no  occasion  for  it :  the  young 
females  of  that  church  and  that  age,  were  too  sen- 
sible and  modest  ever  to  think  of  the  shameful 
usurpation!  "What!  came  the  word  of  God  out 
from  you  T'  Are  you  the  centre  and  the  metropolis 
of  all  Christendom,  from  which  the  word  of  God  ra- 
diated toward  others  1  or  rather,  a  place  on  its  dis- 
tant frontier,  that  ought  to  aspire  to  learn,  rather 
than  teach,  what  practices  are  fit  1  "  or  came  it  unto 
you  only  1"  Are  you  the  only  pagans  that  it  reach- 
ed and  christianized,  that  you  should  innovate  and 
be  examples  in  the  matter  l  "  If  any  man  think 
himself  to  be  a  prophet,  or  spiritual,"  yes,  if  he  hap- 
pen to  think  himself  peculiarly  full  of  light,  let 
him  acknowledge  that  the  things  that  I  write  unto 
you  are  05^  the  comxMANdments  of  the  Lord.  But 
if  any  man  be  ignorant,  let  him  be  ignorant." 

I  omit  the  consideration  here  of  a  passage  of 
more  difficulty,  for  that  reason  alone.  I  allude  to 
11  :  3-16,  of  THE  SAME  EPISTLE;  and  remark,  1. 
That  having  faithfully  pondered  its  meaning,  I  have 
no  doubt  of  what  it  is  ;  and  none  that  it  is  moi-e  than 
consistent  with  what  occurs  soon  after  in  the  passage 
we  have  considered.  2.  That  "  praying  and  pro- 
phecying"  there,  refer  generally  to  the  offices  of 
public  worship,  and  determine  nothing,  at  most, 
about  what  is  law  on  the  point:  though  they  might 
refer  to  what  was  practice  or  innovation  and  disor- 
der in  that  church.  The  law  he  reserves,  and  lays 
down  in  order  in  the  fourteenth  chapter  C?"  soon 


641 


following.  3.  The  headship  of  man ;  the  proper  sub- 
ordination of  woman,  especially  in  public  worship  ; 
the  modesty  and  reserve,  without  which  her  sex  has 
foregone  at  once  its  most  necessary  safeguard  and 
its  finest  ornament;  and  the  sin  against  Christ  of 
violating  these  high  principles  of  relative  decorum  : 
are  clearly  deducible  and  amply  demonstrated  in 
the  argument. 

The  other  proof-passage  to  which  I  referred  is 
found  in  1  Tim.  2:  9-15.  3:  1,  2,  read  contimi- 
ously  as  it  is  written.  I  commend  it  to  the  eye  that 
reads  this,  in  the  opened  Bible  ;  while  I  observe, 

1.  That  audacity  itself  will  hardly  say  that  it  is  not 
as  wide  in  its  jurisdiction  as  the  species  or  the  sex. 

2.  That  it  is  all  a  continuous  argument,  though  se- 
parated by  the  chapters  and  verses  through  which 
it  extends.  Hence  there  is  special  force  in  the  ex- 
pression, "If  a  man  desire  the  office  of  bishop,"  (by 
which  I  very  certainly  understand  the  pastor  of  a 
congregation,  or  a  pastor  at  large,)  "  he  desireth  a 
good  work.  A  bishop  then  must  be  blameless,  the 
husband  of  one  wife" — why  not  the  wife  of  one 
husband  \  Because,  3.  He  had  forever  precluded 
such  a  supposition,  as  not  more  monstrous  in  na- 
ture than  contrary  to  express  and  luminous  statute, 
which  he  had  just  before  laid  down  :  where,  having 
enjoined  on  the  sex  who  "profess  godliness"  (would 
to  God  that  all  such  jjossessed  it  too)  to  "  adorn  them- 
selves in  modest  apparel,  with  shamefacedness  and 
sobriety  ;"  he  proceeds  to  utter  the  following  sweep- 
ing and  universal  prohibition;  "Let  the  woman 
learn  in  silence  with  all  subjection.    But  I  suffer 

81 


642 


not  a  woman  to  teach,  nor  to  usurp  authority  over 
the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence."  He  of  course  refers 
here  to  pubhc  teaching,  that  of  office  alone  ;  for 
elsewhere  he  enjoins  the  sex  to  be  "teachers  of 
good  things."  Tit.  2  :  3-5.  The  office  of  a  teacher 
implies  superiority  ;  and  its  public  duties  would 
convey  the  headship  of  the  man,  and  of  the  whole 
congregation,  for  the  time  and  even  afterward,  im- 
properly to  a  woman  !  4.  The  inhibition  from  the 
ministry  is  as  express  as  words  can  make  it,  while 
the  whole  argument  is  comprehensive  and  com- 
plete. By  implication  too  it  is  applicable  not  re- 
motely to  the  magistracy — which  is  properly  incom- 
petent to  a  woman  in  public  and  in  private!  Mi- 
chal,  Jezebel,  Athaliah,  and  other  specimens  in 
scripture ;  and  the  Cleopatras,  the  Marys,  and  even 
the  Elizabeths,  of  profane  history,  commend  the 
wisdom  of  the  doctrine.  But  5.  What  reasons  arc 
assigned  I  answer,  universal  ones  alone  !  (1) 
"  For  Adam  was  first  formed,  then  Eve."  The 
man  is  the  senior,  the  principal,  the  head.  "For 
the  man  is  not  of  the  woman  ;"  that  is,  originally  ; 
"  but  the  woman  of  the  man.  Neither  was  the 
man  created  for  the  woman,  but  the  woman  for  the 
man."  1  Cor.  11  :  8,  9.  This  is  the  order  of  God  ; 
the  order  from  the  beginning  ;  the  proper  order  of 
our  first  parents  and  of  all  their  posterity;  although 
the  laws  of  worldly  gallantry,  and  feudal  chivalry, 
and  foxian  usurpation,  constitute  the  principles  of 
its  violation  in  modern  ages.  (2)  "  And  Adam  was 
not  deceived."  Here  is  another  reason.  It  is  a 
fact  that  Adam  was  not  duped  by  Satan  at  all.  He 


643 


hearkened  to  the  voice  of  his  wife,"  resigned  his 
headship  for  the  time  to  her  instructions,  and  sinned 
with  her,  probably  more  from  inordinate  affection 
merely  than  intellectual  infatuation.  But  (3)  "  the 
woman  being  deceived  was  in  the  transgression  ;" 
that  is,  she  lent  her  easy  confidence  to  the  argu- 
ments of  the  devil,  sophisticating  the  word  of  God 
in  the  way  of  his  vocation  :  and  she  frequently  does 
this  yet  with  such  tender  feminine  facility  that  she 
must  not  have  the  ministry  "  committed  "  to  her  ! 
This  reason,  though  densely  stated,  plainly  indi- 
cates the  necessity  of  intellectual  strength  and  the 
vigor  of  a  well  disciplined  and  masculine  mind,  in 
the  high  and  holy  trust  of  the  christian  ministry. 
The  soft  and  silly  sentiment  that  sincerity  and 
singleness  of  heart  is  all,  may  be  Quakerism — but 
is  not  Christianity.  Let  simpletons  go  to  congress 
or  write  an  encyclopedia  or  glitter  on  a  throne  ;  but 
keep  them  forever  from  the  christian  ministry !  How 
many  facts  have  I  witnessed  of  softness  and  sympa- 
thy, elegantly  perverting  the  truth,  to  accommodate 
the  feelings  of  distress,  by  the  kindred  feelings  of  a 
lady  oracle !  Their  feelings  almost  govern  them  : 
their  influence  is  often  a  kind  of  fascination  ;  musi- 
cal as  that  which  first  seduced  the  mother  of  man- 
kind. And  who  could  resist  such  refinement  of  in- 
fluence, when  every  nerve  was  a  conductor,  every 
feeling  an  advocate  !  They  make  converts,  for  aught 
I  know.  But  I  suppose  them  ordinarily  nearer 
heaven  before  than  afterward.  It  was  so  with  the 
first  effort  of  mother  Eve  !  The  sex  in  their  places, 
I  honor  and  respect  as  much  as  any  man.    "  There 


644 


they  are  privileged ;"  there  their  tenderness,  their 
fine  attractive  courtesy,  the  kind  assuasion  of  their 
manners,  their  dignity  and  majesty  of  movement, 
their  nsefuhiess  and  high  desert,  especially  when 
the  gem  of  piety  radiates  through  an  eye  of  sound 
intelligence — when  education  and  modesty,  pru- 
dence and  self-control,  charity  and  sentiment,  com- 
bine to  bless  the  spheres  of  private  life,  to  make  of 
home  a  sublunary  heaven,  and  to  train  a  household 
in  the  ways  of  wisdom  for  the  happier  state  eter- 
nal !  I  am  too  much  the  friend  of  the  sex  to  flatter 
them — which  never  yet  was  done  from  a  good  mo- 
tive !  and  consulting  their  happiness  for  both  worlds, 
I  would  have  them  at  once  fully  honored  ifl  those 
rights,  powers,  and  immunities,  all  and  singular, 
which  their  benevolent  Maker  originally  ordained 
for  them  ;  and  at  the  same  time  guarded  and  re- 
stricted to  those  spheres,  for  which  exclusively  and 
obviously  they  were  designed,  and  from  which  ad- 
venturing, the  word  of  God  considers  them  as 
usurping  authority,"  doing  violence  to  their  pro- 
per delicacy,  incurring  "  shame  "  before  the  uni- 
verse. It  must  be  an  amazon  temper  alone,  one 
would  think,  and  very  unlovely  in  the  conjugal  re- 
gards— but,  inspiration  has  no  alternative  !  God 
takes  hold  of  them  ;  the  divinity  possesses  and 
overwhelms  them  ;  when  it  is  all  passivity  and  suf- 
ferance, and  wrong  is  right ! 

Una  salus  victis,  nullam  sperare  salutem. — Virg. 

The  only  hope  the  vanquished  can  command 
Is  desperation  or,  submission  bland. 


645 


I  cannot  admit,  however,  that  God  is  to  answer  so 
absohitely  for  their  wrong  actions.  Their  agency  is 
quite  distinct,  much  their  own,  and  very  absolutely 
accountable !    I  know — and  alas  !  often  have  I 

WEPT  WITH  REASON    AT  THE    FACT,  that    they  Cau 

throw  off  the  whole  responsibility.    God  is  surety 
for  them !    He  inspired  them.    This  they  know — 
as  well  as  Eve,  when,  "  being  deceived  she  was  in 
the  transgression."    This  they  know — and  could 
never  survive  the  discovery  of  the  opposite  !  This 
some  of  them  have  been  heard  to  affirm  :  a  pretty 
frame  of  mind  for  impartial  investigation  !  Preach 
on  then  !    Tell  the  people  how  clearly  you  see 
"  that  the  tree  is  good  for  food,  and  that  it  is  plea- 
sant to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired  to  make 
one  wise  !  and  take  of  the  fruit  thereof  and  eat ! 
and  give  also  to  others  whom  you  can  influence  : 
and  fear  not !    Remember  who  has  assured  you  that 
"  you  shall  not  surely  die  ;"  and  call  to  mind  the 
ancient  and  venerable  example  of  that  lady,  first  of 
her  sex,  who  acted  so  before  you  !    She  was  the 
first  female  preacher  that  "  usurped  authority  over 
the  mau  ;"  but  not  the  first  preacher  whose  labors 
were  spontaneous  and  without  salary !    There  is 
another  reason  for  the  prohibition,  which  deserves 
to  be  considered  ;  (4)  "  notwithstanding,  she  shall 
be  saved  in  child-bearing,  if  they  continue  in  faith, 
and  charity,  and  holiness,  with  sobriety."    I  would 
thus  at  large  explain  or  paraphrase  it :  She  is  in- 
deed restricted  from  the  offices  of  authority,  head- 
ship, and  hardier  toil  ;  but  there  is  ample  compen- 
sation and  honor  in  her  case.   If  the  scenes  which 


646 


her  presence  illumines  are  more  retired,  they  are 
not  less  dignified,  or  useful,  or  influential.  To  her 
especially  is  committed  the  nurture  of  children. 
Her  downy  lap  is  the  cradle  of  their  infancy ;  her 
bosom  their  pillow  and  their  nutriment ;  her  arms 
their  vehicle  and  defence.  And  their  minds,  in  the 
very  forming  time  of  life,  yield  to  her  plastic  influ- 
ence. She  stamps  their  characters  ;  forms  their  man- 
ners ;  and  almost  fixes  their  destinies  !  And  what 
kind  of  an  education  ought  she  to  have,  fitting  her 
for  this  high  and  more  than  senatorial  trust  1  That 
kind  that  so  expands  the  mind,  and  elevates  the 
ideas,  that  now  her  highest  regards  are  to  shine  in 
the  eyes  of  fools  1  to  be  commended  in  the  vapid 
circles  of  fashion,  for  her  manners,  her  brilliants, 
and  her  dress  1  "  whose  adorning  "  is  mainly  that 
of  "  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold,  or  of 
putting  on  of  apparel  1"  Or  ought  she  to  learn 
that  "  the  body  is  more  than  raiment,"  and  the  soul 
more  than  the  body  ;  and  that  her  best  ornaments 
are  those  that  last  forever — "  that  which  is  not  cor- 
ruptible, even  the  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet 
spirit,  which  is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price." 
I  am  here  rebuking  many  that  are  not  Friends,  more 
than  them — for  I  bear  them  record  that  herein  their 
ladies  are  ovdinarWy  patter7is  for  others  in  several 
respects :  in  delicacy  of  attire ;  in  neatness,  with 
little  comparative  extravagance ;  in  comfort  and 
prudence,  in  respecting  health  and  the  proper  ends 
of  dress  ;  and  in  being  in  a  good  degree  independ- 
ent of  the  caprices  of  the  ton.  But  far  more  than 
this  is  necessary  mentally  and  morally  in  the  educa- 


647 


tion  of  woman.    Deserves  she  no  intellectual  cul- 
ture 1  no  mental  discipline,  no  science,  no  cultivated 
vigor  of  thought  1    Ought  not  her  understanding  to 
be  marshalled  in  its  operations,  wonted  on  common 
and  on  sacred  subjects  to  philosophize  correctly, 
enriched  with  the  spoils  of  solid  learning  rather  than 
the  tinsel  accomplishments  of  lifel  Ought  she  not 
to  be  fitted  for  her  noble  sphere  ;  qualified  to  in- 
struct, as  well  as  sparkle  ;  to  last,  as  well  as  shine  1 
Ought  she  not  to  know  that  gems  and  drapery, 
and  all  the  courtly  foppery  of  the  worldly  and  the 
gay,  degrade  rather  than  dignify ;  becoming  the 
cause,  as  they  were  at  first  only  the  effect,  of  vanity 
and  pride  1    How  ought  woman  to  be  promoted  in 
all  that  is  excellent  and  useful  1   How  ought  her 
breath  to  be  prayer  and  her  actions  piety !  How 
skilfully  should  she  plant  the  seeds  of  life  eternal  in 
a  soil  comparatively  unoccupied  !   How  well  should 
she  understand  the  nature  and  the  ruin  of  the  com- 
mon apostacy;  and  the  "  new  and  living  way"  by 
which  we  are  restored  through  the  rent  veil  of  the 
Redeemer's  flesh  !  Like  the  mother  of  Dodderidge, 
she  should  know  how  to  lecture  from  the  tiles  around 
the  fire-place  and  the  common  objects  of  life  !  and 
like  the  mother  of  Timothy,  should  she  take  care 
that  each  one  of  her  charge  may  "  from  a  child 
knoio  the  holy  scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make 
us  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus."    This  is  the  exalted  service  to  which 
God  promotes  her ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  her 
real  influence  on  the  salvation  or  destruction  of 
souls  is  of  immense  and  unconiputed  efiicacy,  in 


648 


the  development  of  their  destiny  forever !  That 
influence  is  wrong,  if  not  right.  It  is  bad,  if  not 
good.  It  is  neglect,  if  not  assiduity.  It  is  vanity, 
if  not  wisdom  ;  wickedness,  if  not  religion.  Be- 
sides, impressions  here  are  strongest.  They  are 
first,  and  ordinarily  indelible.  Tell  me — Is  not  this 
enough  for  her  ?  If  she  did  this  well,  or  compe- 
tently prepared  to  do  it,  would  she  wish  to  be  a  ma- 
gistrate or  a  minister  1  would  she  have  time  for  the 
duties  of  the  foreign  office  1  could  she  be  a  physi- 
cian, a  lawyer,  or  a  judge  1  Let  her  magnify  her 
appropriate  work.  Let  her  love  her  proper  sphere  ; 
"  looking  well  to  the  ways  of  her  household  and 
eating  not  the  bread  of  idleness."  I  scarce  ever 
knew,  said  the  late  Dr.  Mason,  a  fine  man,  but,  upon 
inquiry,  I  ascertained  that  he  had  a  fine  mother. 
So  is  it  almost  universally.  If  all  mothers  were  wise 
and  faithful,  there  would  be  more  Jacobs  and  fewer 
Esaus  in  every  family.  What  a  charge !  How 
competent  ought  she  to  be  to  this  high  work  !  It  is 
that  to  which  God  hath  appointed  her.  As  such  she 
should  appreciate  it  well  ;  realize  it  solemnly ;  oc- 
cupy her  place,  with  serene  self-devotement  and  re- 
signed piety ;  prepare  herself  to  suffer,  as  well  as 
do,  all  the  will  of  God. 

Our  outward  acts  indeed  admit  restraint ; 

'Tis  not  in  things  o'er  thought  to  domineer. 

If  nothing  more  than  purpose  is  our  power, 

Our  purpose  firm  is  equal  to  the  deed. 

Who  does  the  best  his  circumstance  allows, 

Does  well,  acts  nobly,  angels  could  no  more. — Young. 


649 


Tliu3,  well  and  wisely  should  a  christian  female 
know  her  place  and  keep  it.  For  her  reward  is 
rich  and  her  salvation  sure.  "  She  shall  be  saved  " 
in  this  way  of  real  excellence,  glorifying  God  ;  that 
is,  if  she  "continues"  in  it  and  sustains  her  duties 
there,  in  faith  and  benevolence,  with  real  wisdom 
joined,  vindicating  the  grandeur  of  her  being  as 
originally  produced,  and  the  splendor  of  her  desti- 
ny as  an  immortal,  though  a  sinner,  restored  for- 
ever through  the  grace  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ. 

What  now  are  we  to  think  of  her  usurpations  I 
That  they  are  inspired  I  By  whom  l  Him  who 
inspired  the  first  example  of  the  sort !  What  mur- 
ky and  mischievous  inspiration  !  It  is  well  adapted 
to  ruin  domestic  scenes ;  to  kill  the  charities  of  na- 
ture that  love  the  circle  of  "  sweet  home ;"  to  out- 
rage, invert,  defeat,  all  the  ends  of  order  in  society  ! 
to  make  confusion,  folly,  misery — infidelity  in  the 
end  ;  where  God  had  appointed  order,  beauty,  bless- 
ing !  For  if  a  woman  desire  "the  office  of  a  bi- 
shop," she  is  only  resumiug  her  old  way,  desiring 
or  taking  the  fruit  that  is — forbidden. 

Nor  reigns  ambition  in  bold  man  alone  ; 
Soft  female  hearts  the  rude  invader  own. 
But  there,  indeed,  it  deals  in  nicer  things 
Than  routing  armies  and  dethroning  kings. 

*  *  *  * 

The  sex  we  honor,  while  their  faults  we  blame  ; 
Nor  thank  their  faults  for  such  a  fruitful  theme. 

*  *  *  * 

A  dearth  of  words  a  woman  need  not  fear  ; 
But  'tis  a  task  indeed  to  learn — to  hear  ! 

*  *  *  * 

82 


650 


Doubly,  like  echo,  sound  is  her  delight, 
And  the  last  word  is  her  eternal  right. 

*  *  *  * 

She  strikes  each  point  with  native  force  of  mind  ; 
While  puzzled  learning  blunders  far  behind. 

*  *  *  * 

What  angels  would  these  be,  who  thus  excel 
In  theologies — could  they  sew  as  well ! 

*  *  *  * 

An  angel !  pardon  my  mistaken  pen, 
A  shameless  woman  is  the  worst  of  men. 

*  *  *  * 

Naked  in  nothing  should  a  woman  be. 

But  veil  her  very  wit  with  modesty. 

Let  man  discover,  let  not  her  display  ; 

But  yield  her  charms  of  mind  v.  ith  sweet  delay, 

Or,  "  for  a  sign,"  if  "  naked  "  one  must  go,''" 

Select  some  sterner  victim  for  the  show. 

But  test  the  claiming  inspiration  well ; 

Or  trust  too  soon  a  forgery  from  hell. 

Things  that  are  lovely  and  of  good  report 

But  ill  consist  with  such  outlandish  sport. 

I  would,  were  he  alive,  prefer  that  Fox 

Should  be  "a  sign"  to  teach  the  orthodox. 

And  "  testify  "  to  hesitating  Friends 

Where  inspiration  or  begins  or  ends. 

But  know  such  duties  of  rare  piety. 

My  lady  Friend,  may  next  solicit  thee  ! 

Alas  !  how  few,  in  these  degenerate  days, 

Would  own  the  mandate  in  its  equal  ways  ! 

Still,  for  the  best  we  hope  and  should  prepare  ; 

Some,  if  th'  occasion  called,  perhaps  there  are  ! 

In  times  like  ours,  few  striking  "  signs  "  are  found  : 

But  soon  with  Friends,  who  knows  ?  they  may  abound ! 

*  *  *  * 

Frown  not,  ye  fair  !  so  much  your  rights  we  prize 
We  hate  those  arts  that  take  you  from  our  eyes  : 
Those  arts  deceptive,  which,  though  well  refined. 
Infect  your  manners  and  pervert  your  mind  ; 


651 


Transform  your  husbands  into  passive  drones, 
And  for  like  tameness  educate  your  sons  ; 
Depose  the  headship  of  your  proper  Lords  ; 
Who  love  you  less  for  your  usurping  words  : 
The  arts  that  metamorphose  and  disguise 
Your  tender  womanhood,  in  wisdom's  eyes  ; 
That  clash  with  all  the  institute  of  God,  , 
And  challenge  from  his  righteous  hand — the  rod  ! 
True  to  your  duty,  thank  the  christian  code 
For  all  your  dignity,  your  safe  abode  ; 
And,  in  his  church,  hear  others  preach  !  be  still,  and  worship 
God ! " 

In  the  conclusion,  I  commend  the  Bible  to  the 
higher  and  more  devout  estimate  of  every  reader. 
To  the  worldly  or  fanatical  neglecter  of  "  the  word 
of  God,"  I  would  say — 

Retire,  and  read  thy  Bible,  to  be  gay. 
There  truths  abound  of  sovereign  aid  to  peace  : 
Ah  !  do  not  prize  them  less,  because  inspired  ; 
As  thou,  and  thine,  are  apt  and  proud  to  do. 
If  not  inspired,  that  pregnant  page  had  stood, 
Time's  treasure,  and  the  wonder  of  the  wise  ! 
*  *  *  * 

'Tis  easy  ;  it  invites  thee  ;  it  descends 

From  heaven  to  woo  and  waft  thee  whence  it  came. 

Read  and  revere  the  sacred  page  ;  a  page 

Where  triumphs  immortality  ;  a  page 

Which  not  the  whole  creation  could  produce  : 

Which  not  the  conflagration  shall  destroy. 

In  nature's  ruins  not  one  letter  lost : 

'Tis  printed  in  the  mind  of  God  forever. — Young. 

"  He  said  unto  them,  O  fools,  and  slow  of  heart 
to  believe  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken  !  Ought 
not  Christ  to  have  suffered  these  things,  and  to  en- 


652 


-* 


ter  into  his  glory  1  And  beginning  at  Moses  and 
all  the  prophets,  he  expounded  unto  them  in  all  the 
scriptures  the  things  concerning  himself.  And  he 
said  unto  them,  these  are  the  words  which  I  spake 
unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things 
MUST  BE  FULFILLED  which  Were  written  in  the  law 
of  Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  and  in  the  psalms, 
concerning  me.  Then  opened  he  their  understand- 
ing that  they  might  understand  the  scriptures." 
Luke,  24  :  25-27,  44,  45.  Thus,  the  illumination 
of  Christ  is  always  in  subserviency  to  our  knowledge 
of  the  scriptures.  It  is  so  now,  as  it  was  and  will 
be.  He  illumines  our  minds  not  without  his  writ- 
ten word,  nor  in  opposition  to  it,  nor  as  if  the  illu- 
mination itself  were  a  rule — since  it  is  only  bringing 
mind  to  take  purely  the  sense  of  scripture  and  to 
act  accordingly  in  honor  of  that  supreme  rule,  with 
affectionate  faith  in  the  eternal  testimony  of  God. 

To  all  professing  christians,  members  of  the 
church  visible  of  the  Redeemer,  I  would  say — think 
of  your  high  duty,  to  this,  charter  of  your  hopes, 
this  mirror  of  the  divine  glory,  this  development  of 
infinite  grace  !  and  hold  it,  not  only, — but  "  hold  it 
fast : — contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered 
to  the  saints  ; — striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the 
gospel."  In  one  short  epistle,  Paul  thrice  enjoins  it 
on  the  church,  to  maintain  the  truth  of  scriptural  re- 
velation even  against  any  members  of  their  own  body, 
baptized  and  regular  professors,  who  should  in  any 
way  occasionally  dishonor  it.  He  says,  "  Therefore, 
brethren,  stand  fast,  and  hold  the  traditions  which 
ye  have  been  taught,  whether  by  word,  or  our  epis- 


C53 


tie."    The  "  traditions  "  of  inspired  men,  the  apos- 
tles of  the  Lamb,  it  is  orthodoxy  itself  to  maintain  ; 
as  well  as  to  resist  all  other  traditions,  as  those  of 
human  invention  and  authority.    "  Now  we  com- 
mand you,  brethren,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  ye  withdraw  yourselves  from  every  bro- 
ther that  walketh  disorderly,  and  not  after  the  tra- 
dition which  he  received  of  us^    We  are  here  so- 
lemnly required  to  "  withdraw "  fellowship  from 
such  !    "  And  if  any  man  obey  not  our  word  by  this 
epistle,  note  that  man,  and  have  no  company  with 
him,  that  he  may  be  ashamed."    Is  it  then  a  lower 
rule  than  something  in  him?    All  these  passages 
occur  in  2  Thes.  2  :  15,  and  3  :  6,  14.    It  is  the 
pervading  exhortation,  and  the  most  solemn  injunc- 
tion of  the  whole  word  of  God.    Experience,  rea- 
son, history,  and  the  nature  of  the  case,  concur 
with  all  other  sources  of  right  influence  known  to 
us,  to  urge  the  momentous  duty  of  guarding,  in 
this  hostile  world,  the  invaluable  deposit  of  the 
oracles  of  God  ! — for  ourselves,  for  our  cotempora- 
ries,  for  our  children,  for  our  posterity,  for  eternity, 
and  for  the  glory  of  their  adorable  Author  !  guard- 
ing them  in  their  unrivaled  excellency  ;  in  their  ce- 
lestial fulness  of  grace  and  truth  ;  in  their  wonder- 
ful adaptation  to  the  states  and  wants  of  fallen  pro- 
bationary man  ;  in  their  absolute  supremacy,  on  the 
principle  that  the  word  of  God  is  the  highest  law 
in  the  universe,  equally  for  saints  and  angels,  in  this 
world  and  that  which  is  to  come — and  that  the  mere 
circumstance  or  incidental  fact  that  his  word  to  us 
is  written,  printed,  contained  identically  in  "  the 


654 


holy  scriptures,''^  only  defines  more  steadfastly  our 
duty,  while  it  also  facilitates  its  performance,  "Who- 
soever therefore  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him 
will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father  who  is  in  hea- 
ven. But  whosoever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him 
will  I  also  deny  before  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven." 


NOTES. 


1.  Dr.  Alexander's  inaugural  discourse. 

2,  3.  Parents  of  the  present  Professor  Douglass  of  the  University  of 
the  city  of  New- York. 

4.  My  father  died  at  thirty-four  years  of  age,  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia; from  wliich  he  had  a  few  years  before  removed,  and  wlierehe 
had  recently  arrived  on  business.  I  may  be  excused  for  transcribing  in 
this  place — for  special  reasons — an  obituary  that  appeared  in  Foul- 
soil's  Daily  Advertise!'.  It  proceeded  (I  judge)  from  the  pen  of  an  ho- 
norable citizen  of  that  metropohs,  who  well  knew  him,  who  is  still  alive, 
and  whom  his  cotemporaries  universally  and  justly  esteem. 

•'  Died,  1st  month,  4tii,  1801,  of  an  inflammation  of  the  heart,  James  Cox, 
of  Railway,  East  New-Jersey.  He  left  home  about  three  weeks  since,  appa- 
rently in  the  enjoyment  of  vigorous  health  ;  having  possessed  an  excellent 
constitution,  and  lived  in  the  habits  of  strict  temperance.  He  seemed  to 
have  a  peculiar  claim  (o  the  attainment  of  old  age  :  his  prospects  were  bright 
and  his  conscience  unsullied.  He  was  in  the  prime  of  life  ;  and  blessed  willi 
a  lovely  wife  and  five  small  children,  who,  by  his  early  and  unexpected  exit, 
are  bereaved  of  an  excellent  husband  and  father.  His  mind  was  uncom- 
monly energetic,  his  heart  warm  and  affectionate,  and  his  principles  sound 
and  correct.  His  life  was  marked  with  valuable  and  manly  trails  of  charac- 
ter, and  his  last  moments  were  gilded  with  the  serene  hope  and  confidence 
of  the  Christian." 

5.  As  whose  colleague  the  venerable  Ashbel  Green,  D.  D.  LL.  D. 
now  in  his  seventy-first  year,  was  ordained  in  April,  1787. 

6.  The  opposers  of  a  female  ministry,  as  all  enlightened  christians  are, 
in  obedience  to  the  plainly  revealed  will  of  God,  are  very  far  from  deny- 
ing either  that  they  are  sisters  in  Christ  Jesus,  or  that  they  are  endowed 
with  very  valuable  gifts  to  be  exercised  in  his  service,  or  that  there  iuc 
appropriate  spheres  in  which  their  talents  and  their  virtues  may  shine 
together,  with  his  reflected  light  and  to  his  purest  praise.  If  a  christian 
lady  has  the  talents  of  a  Miriam,  she  need  not  have  her  usurpation  too, 
Numb.  12,  or  incur  her  terrible  rebuke,  in  arriving  at  distinguished 
usefulness.  She  need  not  become  amazonian  in  order  to  be  christian. 
In  fact  every  private  christian,  of  either  sex,  may  wisely  occupy  a 
place  or  improve  an  occasion,  always  to  be  found,  of  service  to  souls  and 
of  honor  to  God.    "  And  a  Avise  man's  heart  disccrnelh  both  time  and 


656 


judgment. "  Eccles.  8  :  5.  In  this  way,  without  affectation,  indelicacy, 
disorder,  or  ill  manners,  the  wisdom  and  the  usefulness  of  christians 
might  be  augmented  ten  fold,  to  the  infmile  benefit  of  the  world !  For 
God  will  bless  ordinarily  wherever  and  wliatever  he  approves.  The 
way  to  get  good,  is  to  do  good  ;  the  way  to  increase  and  retain  personal 
religion,  is  to  communicate  and  dispense  what  we  have.  "  And  Moses 
said  unto  him,  Enviest  thou  for  my  sake  ?  Would  God  that  all  the 
Lord's  people  were  prophets,  and  that  the  Lord  would  put  his  Spirit 
upon  them !"  Numb.  11  :  29.  And  no  one  knows  how  much  good  may 
sometimes  result  from  "a  word  fitly  spoken." 

In  all  such  converse,  it  were  well  to  observe  certain  rules  and  prin- 
ciples, as  perhaps  the  following  ;  1.  Speak  wisely  and  to  the  point,  or 
not  at  all.  2.  Time  things  well  and  consider  the  characteristics  of  those 
whom  you  address.  Sometimes  silence  is  eloquence  ;  and  leaving  the 
company,  the  best  refutation.  3.  If  you  would  reprove,  endeavor  to  do 
it  so  as  to  make  the  party  reprove  himself.  4.  Regard  ultimate  more 
than  proximate  effects ;  what  will  be  thought  to-morrow  or  long  after- 
ward, of  what  you  now  aver  ;  and  what  reflection  will  attest,  when  sen- 
sation has  utterly  subsided.  5.  In  teaching,  take  care  to  tell  only  what 
you  know.  David  would  use  none  but  the  armor  he  had  "  proved." 
Some  subjects  may  be  new  to  you ;  or  plainly  superior  to  your  attain- 
ments; or  they  may  require  an  investigation  and  a  library  not  at  your 
command;  or  involve  a  difficulty  which  you  see  no  way  of  solving:  in 
such  cases  never  attempt  presumptuous  solutions  or  arrogate  a  clearness 
of  vision  which  you  do  not  possess.  Acknowledge  the  ditficulty,  and 
your  own  ignorance;  as  well  as  your  persuasion  that  it  is  not  insuper- 
able, but  with  proper  helps  might  be  and  doubtless  has  been  often  and 
fully  explained.  This  will  commend  your  ingenuousness,  as  well  as 
evince  your  confidence  in  Christianity.  6.  Beware  of  wrong  motives. 
Right  ones  are  the  eloquence  and  the  unction  and  almost  the  effect. 
"  Let  love  through  all  your  actions  run."  Still,  care  rather  to  profit  than 
to  please :  and  respect  God  more  than  man.  If  you  really  love  the 
soul,  you  will  show  it,  incidentally  if  in  no  other  way;  and  in  proportion 
as  this  temper  is  seen,  it  will  also  be  felt  and  honored,  at  least  in  the 
privacy  of  conscience,  where  the  effect  is  often  wonderful  and  astound- 
ing! Besides,  every  man  has  a  conscience;  every  man  thinks  more 
and  feels  more,  occasionally,  on  the  supreme  subject,  than  he  is  willing 
to  confess  even  to  himself  And  God  uses  the  wise  efforts  of  his  people. 
They  are  the  chosen  sub-agents  of  his  own  glorious  action,  in  concilia- 
ting souls.  Thus  he  replenishes  the  empire  of  his  grace.  Hence,  faitli 
acquires  a  kind  of  omnipotence,  by  availing  itself  of  the  resources  of 
God !  "  In  the  morning  sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the  evening  withhold  not 
thy  hand :  for  thou  knowest  not  whether  shall  prosper  either  this  or  that, 


657 


or  whether  they  both  Bhall  be  ahke  good."  Eccles.  11:6.  And  what 
service  possible  to  men,  can  for  a  moment  be  compared  to  this,  for 
"  glory,  and  honor,  and  immortality or  for  certainty  and  richness  of 
reward  ?  The  laurels  and  stars  of  vulgar  ambition  are  here  demon- 
strated puerile  and  contemptible ;  while  the  grandeur  and  worth  of  such 
subserviency  can  be  impoverished  or  reduced  by  no  competition,  nor  by 
any  increase  or  success  of  numbers.  The  cause  is  common,  unique, 
eternal.  The  more  the  happier.  Each  contributes  to  the  riches  of  all; 
and  all  rejoice  in  the  successes  of  each.  The  tender  female  here  be- 
comes a  champion  ;  the  contest  and  the  victory  alike  exercise  the  good- 
ness and  improve  the  character  :  Heaven  is  enjoyed  and  Christ  is  glo- 
rified in  two  worlds,  one  of  them  "  without  end!" 

The  author  is  happy  in  the  acquaintance  of  many  excellent  and 
"  elect  ladies  "  among  his  countrywomen,  not  restrictively  those  of  his 
parochial  oharge,  whose  example  is  luminous  and  beneficent  in  an  emi- 
nent degree;  and  with  whom,  as  living  "epistles  of  Christ,"  and  amia- 
ble specimens  of  the  religion  of  his  gospel,  the  unchanging  principles  of 
truth  and  grace,  are  discernible  in  their  truly  refining  eflicacy ;  com- 
mended to  the  approbation  of  the  world  in  kindred  fellowship  with  the 
softness  and  the  sympathy,  the  instinctive  purity  and  the  tender  attrac- 
tion, of  the  female  character.  "  A  virtuous  woman  ;  her  price  is  far  above 
rubies !  She  openeth  her  mouth  with  wisdom  ;  and  in  her  tongue  is  the 
law  of  kindness.  Favor  is  deceitful,  and  beauty  is  vain :  but  a  woman 
that  feareth  the  Lord,  she  shall  be  praised."    Prov.  31  :  10,  26,  30. 

7.  See  Blackstone,  vol.  1,  pp.  301  and  441,  et  alia. 

'  8.  "  He  thought  he  saw  an  unusual  blaze  of  light  fall  on  the  book 
while  he  was  reading,  which  he  at  first  imagined  might  happen  by  some 
accident  in  the  candle.  But  lifting  up  his  eyes,  he  apprehended,  to  hia 
extreme  amazement,  that  there  was  before  him,  as  it  were  suspended  in 
the  air,  a  visible  representation  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  upon  the  cross, 
surrounded  on  all  sides  with  a  glory  ;  and  was  impressed,  as  if  a  voice, 
or  something  equivalent  to  a  voice,  had  come  to  him,  to  this  effect,  (for 
he  was  not  confident  as  to  the  very  words,)  O  sinner,  did  I  suffer  this 
for  thee,  and  are  these  the  returns!"  Life  of  Col.  Gardiner,  by  Dr. 
Doddridge,  p.  25.  The  influence  may  be  genuine,  divine,  saving;  and 
yet  our  imagination  and  judgment  may  be  erring  and  extravagant,  in 
what  they  attribute  to  it.  The  luminous  quality  may  be  all  in  the 
mind,  and  the  images  or  representations  be  there  only  delineated  and 
enstamped. 

9.  But  this  feeling  of  the  preacher  was  not  peculiar  to  him.  Fox  was 
the  primate  of  their  whole  system  of  sympathies  as  well  as  sentiments. 
"  I  was  moved  also  to  cry  against  all  sorts  of  music" — "  But  the  black 

83 


658 


earthly  spirit  of  the  priests  wounded  my  hfe :  and  when  I  heard  the  bell 
toll  to  call  people  together  to  the  steeple-house,  it  struck  at  my  life ;  for 
it  was  like  a  market-bell  to  gather  people  together,  that  the  priest  might 
set  forth  his  ware  to  sale."  Journal,  vol.  1.  pp.  114  and  115.  In  England, 
it  is  well  known,  that  a  steeple  always  indicates  a  church  of  the  esta- 
blishment: the  dissenters  having  none,  according  to  law,  and  their 
places  of  worship  being  called  chapels  or  meeting-houses.  The  antipa- 
thy of  early  Friends  against  "  steeple- houses  "  became  one  of  their  cha- 
racteristics. It  was  a  signal  of  the  justly  odious  tithe  system,  and  a  re- 
m  ^  mbrancer  of  their  own  frequent  amercement. 

10.  This,  and  some  other  parts  of  this  volume,  were  written  as  early 
as  1824 ;  before  the  schism,  and  while  its  main  occasion  was  yet  alive. 
He  is  now  no  more  in  this  world.  H  here  he  is,  in  that  which  is  to 
come,  I  am  very  far  from  deciding  even  in  the  privacy  of  thought.  God 
knows  what  to  do,  and  will  do  what  is  gloriously  right,  with  each  one  of 
us  and  with  all  men.  In  the  text  I  mean  only — that  I  am  now  relieved 
from  any  sensible  obligation  to  account  for  his  errors  on  the  supposition 
of  his  genuine  christian  piety.  Equally  cautious  would  I  be  in  resign- 
ing xohoUy  and  always,  to  the  arbitrati  jii  cf  the  Great  God,  the  destiny 
of  individuals  or  persons;  as  courageous  in  the  treatment  of  principles, 
whatever  their  application  to  myself  or  others,  and  in  the  confession  of 
the  truth,  whatever  the  consequences  to  be  apprehended.  I  desire  here 
to  assure  the  reader,  that  with  me  the  idea  of  denouncing  'persons  as 
absolutely  graceless,  or  passing  judgment  on  the  eternal  condition  of 
any  individual  of  the  mighty  congregation  of  the  dead  on  whom  scrip- 
ture hath  not  expressly  passed  the  judgment  of  God,  is  both  alien  and 
awful !  I  denounce  only — a  system.  It  is  one  of  the  most  happy  cogi- 
tations of  my  life,  that  I  know  not  concretely  or  in  reference  to  particu- 
lar individuals,  who  may  not  be  pardoned  and  saved  in  spite  of  his  errors 
and  his  sins !  or  who  may  not  be  brought  to  repentance  and  faith  in 
Christ,  before  he  leaves  the  world  ?  There  are  several  things  in  the 
characters  of  Fox  and  Barclay  that  I  very  sincerely  respect  and  even 
admire — and  far  enough  should  I  be  from  daring  to  say  of  either  of 
them — He  is  lost  forever !  No  man  knows  any  such  thing  in  fact !  and 
my  soul  is  very  very  far  from  wishing  it — I  need  not  declare ! 

It  was  wise  in  one  who  said,  to  his  circle  of  christian  companions ; 
If  any  or  all  of  us  shall  actually  arrive  in  heaven  at  last,  we  shall  see 
THEEE  wonders  there:  first,  many  whom  we  never  expected  to  meet 
there ;  second,  many  not  there  whom  we  did  expect  to  find  ;  and  third, 
the  greatest  wonder  to  find — ourselves  there  ! 

In  treating  of  truth  and  principles,  however,  I  know  not  how  to  do 
juBlice  to  the  subjects  of  revelation  without  free  thought  and  unrestrain- 


659 


ed  argument.  If  this  wounds,  lacerates,  or  even  injures  some,  I  can  only- 
say — I  know  of  no  alternative  !  truth  will  never  surrender  to  error ;  and 
truth  will  hurt  some  spirits,  and  only  hurt  them,  world  without  end! 

"  The  keen  vibration  of  bright  truth,  is  hell."  The  sworxl  of  the 
Spirit  is  sharp,  refulgent,  piercing. 

11.  Remarkably  characteristic  and  Quakerian!  I  have  often  been 
asked  by  others,  "How  do  they  get  over  such  and  such  passages'?" 
Answer — You  know  nothing  of  their  way,  or  you  would  not  ask  the  in- 
apposite question.  A  man  who  carries  about  with  him  a  light  within 
which  is  PARAMOUNT  to  reason  and  the  oracles  of  God,  can  nullify  at 
pleasure,  and  that  as  easily  as  by  "  turning  over  the  leaf,"  whatever  it 
may  have  pleased  "  the  eternal  Spirit "  to  reveal  and  record  "  for  our 
learning."  The  confession,  made  in  great  simplicity,  is  a  most  important 
development.  It  reveals,  I  think,  purely,  what  is  more  valuable  because 
indeliberate,  the  character  of  the  sect,  the  nature  of  their  inward  lumi- 
nary, and  the  connection  that  exists  between  their  views  and  evidence. 
It  shows  the  way  which  some  have  of  pleading  conscience,  when  they 
wish  to  escape  responsibility  or  do  what  Ihey  dare  not  allow  to  be  in- 
epected :  and  reminds  me  of  an  anecdote  that  I  have  somewhere 
known,  of  a  certain  miserable  and  ignorant  man,  who,  having  done  a 
reprehensible  action  publicly  in  church,  was  arraigned  for  it  before  his 
ecclesiastical  superiors,  where  he  pleaded  that  he  was  conscientiotis  in 
it  all.  "  And  pray,"  said  one  of  his  judges,  "  What  is  conscience  ?  or 
what  do  you  mean  by  it,  if  you  mean  any  thing  or  know  what  you 
mean?"  He  answered,  "O  yes!  I  know,  very  well.  Conscience  is 
something,"  putting  his  hand  significantly  on  his  stomach,  "  something 
down  here  that  says,  every  now  and  then,  I  wont  !"  Humor  apart,  I 
Bincerely  suspect  that  Barclay's  "  little  small  thing"  that  "  boasteth  "  such 
"  great  things,"  is  not  only  resident  in  the  same  locality,  but  is  very  much 
of  one  identity  with  the  famous  definition  of  conscience  above  recited. 
It  is  the  conscience  of  nullification — a  principle  that  might,  for  aught 
I  know,  have  "originated  in  heaven:"  but  sure  I  am  it  did  not  long 
remain  there. 

12.  Respecting  predestination,  without  discussing  a  subject  so  exten- 
sive, so  "  sinned  against " — not  sinning,  and  so  glorious  and  fundamental, 
I  would  affectionately  suggest  the  following  things :  1.  It  is  both  foolish 
and  unfair  to  charge  its  alleged  difficulties,  as  is  often  done  in  this  coun- 
try, on  presbyterianism  or  Calvinism.  Before  either  of  these  existed,  the 
very  difficulties — which  are  wholly  relative  and  result  from  our  igno- 
rance and  folly  and  unbelief  alone — existed  and  were  amply  known.  The 
premises  of  the  doctrine  sse fully  contained  in  Barclay's  Apology :  since 
they  are  ultimately  resolvable  into  the  attributes  of  the  infinite  God, 


660 


Omniscience — who  can  deny? — eternally  knows  all  things,  and  antici- 
pates them  infallibly,  in  a  system  over  which  God  presides,  which  he 
created  and  constantly  upholds.  For  "  although  in  relation  to  the  fore- 
knowledge and  decree  of  God,  the  first  cause,  all  things  come  to  pass 
immediately  and  infallibly,  yet,  by  the  same  providence,  he  ordereth 
them  to  fall  out  according  to  the  nature  of  second  causes,  either  neces- 
Barily,  freely,  or  contingently."  Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith.  Chap. 
5,  sect.  2.  No  absolute  contingency  exists ;  yet  all  relative  contingen- 
cies, such  to  us,  (and  the  world  is  full  of  them,)  are  infallibly  and  econo- 
mically foreknown  in  the  system,  and  most  wisely  ordered  and  over- 
ruled by  the  eternal  Owner  of  all  things.  The  means  and  the  end  of 
every  related  series  arc  reciprocally  connected  and  mutually  dependant 
in  the  constitution  of  God.  He  has  no  purpose,  for  example,  to  fill  a 
barn  with  the  fruits  of  autumn,  that  does  not  as  well  imply  his  purpose 
of  antecedent  toil,  forecast,  perseverance,  care,  and  skill,  on  the  part  of 
the  husbandman.  A  correct  view  of  this  subject  is  not  only  noble  and 
philosophical,  expansive  to  the  mind  and  salutary  in  an  infinite  degree 
to  the  heart ;  .but,  it  rectifies  the  conduct,  is  the  best  cure  of  the  natural 
fatalism  of  men,  the  wisest  corrective  in  the  world  of  the  whole  doctrine 
of fate,  and  moreover — it  is  eternal  trdth  !  God  knows  all  events,  with 
just  as  much  precision  and  exactitude,  and  knows  them  just  as  histori- 
cally, as  he  knows  those  of  yesterday  and  earher  in  infinite  preterition. 
He  knows  you,  reader,  and  all  your  voluntary  conduct,  perfectly  and  from 
everlasting.  It  is  indeed  to  me  a  wonder  of  difficult  solution  (much 
more  difficult  than  the  revealed  doctrine  of  predestination)  that  any 
man  of  sense  and  honesty  can  at  once  believe  the  Bible,  and  read  it, 
and  doubt  the  doctrine.  If  not  contained  in  Romans,  9,  10,  II,  nor  in 
Ephesians,  1,  2,  I  am  sure  it  is  to  be  found  almost  every  where  else, 
expressly  or  by  implication,  in  the  whole  Bible.  If  somewhat  medi- 
cinal and  painful,  it  is  still  a  most  salutary  doctrine.  2.  Our  moral 
relation  to  it  is  simple,  encouraging  and  ENTIRELY  PRACTI- 
CAL— whence  our  duty  is  to  submit  to  it  believingly  and  to  believe  it 
affectionately,  to  the  glory  of  the  eternal  and  infinitely  benevolent  Foun- 
der of  the  system.  To  do  this,  is  jdst  as  easy  as  it  is  to  love  God  or 
cordially  to  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  Without  such  unqualified  sub- 
mission, we  are,  however  disguised,  only  the  enemies  of  God — because 
we  wickedly  choose  to  be  !  With  it— we  are  his  friends,  his  children, 
his  elect  for  ever.  The  doctrine  can  be  easily  abused,  however,  by  any 
one  so  minded.  Hence  3.  There  is  no  proper  difficulty  practically,  or 
just  repulsion,  in  the  doctrine.  If  we  can  love  God  sincerely  at  all,  why 
hate  him  because  of  the  infinite  sovereignty  in  which  he  describes  him- 
self as  "  declaring  the  end  from  the  beginning,  and  from  ancient  times 
the  things  that  are  not  yet  done,  saying,  My  counsel  shall  stand 


661 


AND  I  WILL  DO  ALL  MY  PLEASURE."  Isaiah,  46  :  10.  Shall  we  hata  him  for 
being  infinitely  wise  and  good  in  governing  the  universe? 

4.  If  it  be  said — Then  he  makes  some  men  on  purpose  to  damn  them  i 
I  answer,  (1)  This  is  no  logical  result  from  the  premises.  It  is  more- 
over an  averment  of  guilt  and  blasphemy,  when  absolutely  uttered- 
He  made  all  men  for  his  own  glory  and  the  good  of  the  universe  :  and 
this  end  he  is  most  wisely  determined  that  they  shall  in  some  way  sub- 
eerve — either  in  their  punishment  or  pardon,  according  to  their  own 
moral  agency  in  this  world.  Gal.  6  :  7,  8.  He  might  know  a  thing  and 
order  it  in  the  system,  without  at  all  making  it  an  end  desired.  He 
knew  from  everlasting  that  Paul  would  persecute  the  church;  and  eter- 
nally ordained  the  system  in  which  it  should  occur :  was  that  the  end 
for  which  he  created  himi  (2)  The  difficulty,  if  it  be  one,  is  just  as 
GREAT — to  say  the  least — with  those  who  deny  the  doctrine  and  are  not 
universalists.  The  God  whom  they  profess  to  worship,  created  the 
finally  reprobate  knowing  infallibly  that  they  would  be  lost  forever. 
Did  He  create  them  for  this  end — or,  for  no  end — or,  to  confound  him- 
self? (3)  Election,  as  a  branch  of  predestination,  damns  nobody;  it 
only  INSURES  the  piety  and  salvation  of  an  innumerable  multitude.  If  you 
say,  why  are  so  many  lost  or  left  to  their  own  way,  which  is  at  last  the 
same  thing?  I  reply — The  question  is  based  on  facts  which  all  must 
admit  in  common,  namely,  that  many  do  perish.  The  reason  is  two- 
fold; first,  touching </iej>  agency;  their  own  wanton  wickedness  is 
THE  reason.  Second,  touching  the  agency  of  God — why  does  h-^  not 
interpose  preventively  and  save  them  ?  Answer — Because  he  cannot  in 
wisdom  and  righteousness !  because  he  sees  it  better  to  punish  some  lor 
their  iniquity  than  that  he  should  exert  such  an  agency  in  the  circum- 
stances. It  is  not  because  he  could  not  do  it  absolutely  ;  but  because  he 
could  not  do  it  morally.    In  this  important  sense  we  may  say,  God 

SAVES  AS  many  AS  HE  CAN ;  AND  WOULD  DOUBTLESS  SAVE  ALL  IF  HE 
DID  NOT  SEE  THAT  IT  WAS  PREFERABLE  FOR  HIS  INFINITE  BENEVOLENCE 
TO  PUNISH  SOME,  AND  AS  FEW  AS  POSSIBLE,  FOR  THE  GOOD  OF  THE  UNI- 
VERSE OP  BEING  FOREVERMORE  !  GoD  IS  LoVE. 

13.  Now  under  the  pastoral  care  of  my  spiritual  cotemporary,  my  early 
and  excellent  friend,  Rev.  Phihp  Cortlandt  Hay,  A.  M. 

14.  I  was  regularly  "  disowned"  on  my  birth  day,  (after  a  respite  of  six 
months,  in  which  they  neither  said  nor  wrote  anything  to  me,)  accord- 
ing to  their  laws  in  such  cases  made  and  provided.  A  certified  copy  of 
disownment  was  sent  me,  which  I  received  and  kept  for  several  years, 
but  which  is  now  mislaid.  I  can  recollect,  however,  and  shall  endeavor 
to  transcribe  it  (not  with  perfect  exactness)  from  memory. 

Whereas,  Samuel  H.  Cox,  had  a  birth-right  membership  among  ua ; 


662 


but,  having  joined  another  religious  society,  we  therefore  testify  our  dis- 
union with  liim:  but  desire,  nevertheless,  that  by  tlie  clear  inshining  of 
divine  liglit,  he  may  come  to  know  the  voice  of  the  true  Shepherd  and 
thereby  experience  preservation  from  the  snares  of  the  enemy  of  all  good. 
Signed  in  and  on  behalf  of  the  Pine-street  Montlily  Meeting. 

PMlad.  Aug.  25,  1813.   ,  Clerk. 

On  this  I  remark, 

(1.)  That  thus  far  I  have  had  no  inshining',  (their  own  word,) "  clear  " 
or  otherwise,  that  does  not  confirm  my  conviction  that  their  system  is 
illusory  and  wrong. 

(2.)  That  their  charitable  insinuation  sagainst  the  whole  presbyterian 
denomination,  when  they  speak  of  "  the  true  Shepherd,"  and  "  the 
snares  of  the  enemy  of  all  good,"  are  quite  comprehensible. 

(3.)  That  I  do  not  reprehend  or  at  all  regret  the  fact  that  they  have 
"  disowned  "  me ;  I  Jirst  and  conscientiously  disoicned  them  :  but  I  have 
often  asked  myself  why,  in  the  times  of  worldly  foolery,  when  they  knew, 
(their  preachers,  I  mean,)  that  I  and  hundreds  of  others  of  their  youth 
were  habituated  to  attend  tlie  theatre  and  to  follow  other  godless  prac- 
tices, why  did  they  not  then  "  disown  "  or  even  "deal  with  "  me?  The 
only  unpardonable  offence  I  have  committed  was — to  believe  the  Bible 
with  some  degree  of  practical  consistency  !  My  soul's  most  ardent  be- 
nevolence prays  that  they  may  come  to  the  same  experience ;  thus 
"knowing  the  voice  of  the  true  Shepherd,"  and  realizing  "preservation 
from  the  snares  of"  Quakerism.  And  that  "  by  the  clear  inshining 
the  divine  light  "  outward  scripture  testimony !  May  the  God  of  all 
grace  bring  them  to  taste  his  salvation  in  Christ  Jesus !  1  feel  compassion 
for  them,  abhorrence  only  of  their  system,  and  anguish  of  heart  on  their 
account;  but  so  far  as  1  know  my  own  lieart  in  the  sight  of  God,  I  can 
aver  that  I  am  very  far  from  any  vindictive  feelings  toward  them — 
whatever  I  sometimes  think  of  their  manner  of  treating  me. 

Jesus  !  have  mercy  on  my  soul, 

And  give  me  grace  to  do  thy  will: 
Keep  me  in  truth's  divine  control 

And  be  my  God  and  Savior  still  ! 

15.  This  is  hating  human  nature. 

16.  Cardinal  he. 

17.  Though  it  is  revolting  to  the  feelings  of  real  piety  and  disgusting 
to  all  enlightened  sense,  even  to  peruse  his  infatuated  "  Journal "  of 
vanities,  I  will  here  append  only  a  specimen,  of  hundreds  that  might 
easily  be  furnished.  '•  Now  was  I  come  up  in  Spirit,  through  the  flam- 
ing sword,  into  the  paradise  of  God.  Ail  things  were  new ;  and  all  the 
creation  gave  another  sinell  unto  me  than  before,  beyond  what  words 


663 


can  utter.  I  knew  nothing  bdt  pureness,  innocency,  and  righteous- 
ness, BEING  RENEWED  DP  INTO  THE  IMAGE  OF  GoD  BY  ChrIST  JeSUS  ;  SO 
THAT  I  WAS  COME  UP  TO  THE  STATE  OF  AdaM,  WHICH  HE  WAS  IN  BEFORE 

HE  FELL."  Vol.  I.  p.  104.  Far  enough  beyond  any  saint  or  apostle  of 
whom  we  have  scriptural  memorial.  Paul  was  nothing  to  him  !  And 
his  ministerial  influence  was  equally  pre-eminent.  When  he  spake,  he 
says,  "  The  Lord's  power  came  over  them.  Yea,  the  Lord's  everlasting 
power  was  over  the  world,  and  reached  to  the  hearts  of  people,  and  made 
both  priests  and  professors  tremble.  It  shook  the  earthly  and  airy  spirit, 
in  which  they  held  their  profession  of  religion  and  worship ;  so  that  it 
was  a  dreadful  thing  to  them,  when  it  was  told  them,  '  The  man  in 
leathern  breeches  is  come.'  At  the  hearing  thereof  the  priests  in  many 
places  got  out  of  the  way;  they  were  so  struck  with  the  dread  of  tha 
eternal  power  of  God;  and  fear  surprised  the  hypocrites."  Vol.  I.  p.  158. 

I  should  think  that  othei'  causes,  than  depravity  and  a  reprobate  con- 
sciousness, might  account  for  their  aversation  to  an  interview  with  such 
a  column  of  light ! 

O  why  were  people  made  so  coarse  ; 

Or  clergy  made  so  fine  ? 
A  kick  that  scarce  could  move  a  horse 

Would  kill  a  sound  divine!       Cowper.    (C  Prov.  26  :  6. 

19.*  An  intelligent  and  respected  ministerial  brother,  whom  I  thank  for 
his  kindness,  has  lately  put  in  my  hands  a  volume  entitled,  "  The  society 

of  Friends  vindicated ;  being  the  arguments  of  the  counsel  of  J  

H  ,  in  a  cause  decided  in  the  court  of  chancery  of  the  state  of  New 

Jersey,  between  T  L  S — •  complainant,  and  J  H  

and  S  D  ,  defendants.   By  George  Wood  and  Isaac  H. 

Williamson,  counsellors  at  law.  To  which  is  appended  the  decision  of 
the  court.  Trenton,  N.  J.  1832."  Of  this  interesting  volume,  I  would 
remark, 

(1.)  That  it  can  be  held  to  decide  nothing  theologically,  or  next  to  no- 
thing ;  since  the  object  of  the  court  was  not  to  determine  what  doctrines 
were  true  absolutely,  but  only  the  doctrines  in  point  of  fact  held  respec- 
tively by  the  parlies  litigant. 

(2.)  That  the  process  and  the  result  of  that  singular  trial  (as  it  once 
would  have  been  counted)  have  been  evidently  wise  and  luminous  and 
riglit,  touching  the  questions  then  pending.  Of  this  I  have  no  doubt. 
But  it  is  secular  in  the  main ;  and  leaves  the  society  unv indicated  in  those 
high  spiritual  relations,  where  christian  philosophy  will  not  cease  to 
compare  Quakerism  as  a  whole,  with  "  the  secondary  rule  "  of  Chris- 
tianity as  a  whole ! 

♦  Some  confusion  has  occurred  in  the  text,  in  numbering  the  notes ;  there  is  no  18,  and  CO 
occurs  twice :  hence  the  page  will  be  specified  to  which  each  of  these  refers-this  to  page  94. 


664 


(3.)  That  the  Hicksites  there  refused  to  show  what  their  doctrinee  were, 
and  so  joined  no  issue  on  the  theology  of  the  dispute  ;  which  was  plainly 
subordinate  to  the  matters  of  "  bond  and  mortgage,''  "  principal  and 
interest." 

(4.)  That  the  unitarian  hicksism  of  Penn,  appears  to  have  laid  palpably 
in  the  orbit  of  one  of  the  counsellors  of  the  other  party,  and  to  have  tasked, 
as  well  as  taxed,  his  erudite  ingenuity  to'dispose  of  it.  p.  24,  and  on- 
ward. He  admits  however  that  his  writings  have,  not  first  recently 
"  subjected  him  to  the  charge  of  socinianism  and  sometimes  of  unquali- 
fied infidelity:"  and  though  he  wittily  refers  this  to  "  the  want  of  at- 
tending sufficiently  to  the  drift  of  the  author,"  yet  I  must  beg  leave  to 
express  a  conviction  precisely  opposite  to  the  learned  advocate ;  and  as- 
sert that  the  impartial  inquirer,  who  reads  the  writings  of  Penn  so  as 
to  come  most  intelligently  into  "  the  drift  of  the  author,"  and  who  has 
read  as  well  and  on  the  same  principles  "  the  Holy  Scriptures,"  is  the 
very  man  of  a  thousand  who  will  soonest  discard  his  pretensions  as  a 
christian  teacher,  and  deny  his  soundness  in  the  faith,  whatever  honor 
he  may  accord  to  his  established  fame  as  a  man,  and  a  general  philan- 
thropist, and  the  lauded  founder  of  a  noble  one  of  the  confederate  states 
of  this  mighty  repubhc. 

19.  p.  96.  Opposition  to  the  cause  of  mission*. 

20.  p.  101.  In  so  many  words. 

21.  With  all  their  might  and  main. 

22.  Let  dotage  accredit  his  pretentions,  I  cannot. 

23.  This  is  probably  a  clew  to  the  true  meaning  of  that  much  ob- 
scured, controverted,  and  certainly  difficult  passage,  Rom.  9 :  1-3.  I 
will  give  simply  the  result  of  some  pains-taking,  and  'show  mine  opi- 
nion,' as  to  its  proper  meaning  :  thus ;  "  I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  and 
lie  not,  my  conscience  also  bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  I 
have  great  heaviness  and  continued  sorrow  in  my  heart  (for  I  myself 
was  wishing  [or  glorying]  to  be  accursed  from  Christ)  for  my  breth- 
ren, my  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh  ;  who  are  Israelites,"  &c. 

This  version  is  grammatical  and  almost  literal.  It  is  the  only  one 
that  I  have  ever  seen  against  which  insuperable  objections  do  not  lie. 
The  asseveration  of  the  apostle  ill  comports  with  the  supposition  of  a  gross- 
ly extravagant  and  utterly  unheard  of  hyperbole  or  poetical  oriental- 
ism ;  as  it  were  madly  and  officiously  conditionating  his  own  eternal 
damnation  as  the  price  of  the  salvation  of  his  countrymen,  and  thus  en- 
tirely transcending  the  "  unspeakable"  love  manifested  in  the  cross  of 
Christ !  Absurd  too,  as  the  fancy  of  papists  and  universalists  that 
hell-fire  is  a  capital  means  of  grace.    The  Jews  hated  Paul  for  deny- 


665 


ing  iheir  doctrine,  their  doings,  and  their  hopes :  they  would  not  easily 
believe  any  thing  he  could  say,  avouching  his  sincere  and  tender  bene- 
volence toward  their  spiritual  interests.  Hence  he  assumes  the  solemn 
sanction  of  an  appeal  to  the  witnessing  God;  he  panegyrizes  their  na- 
tional eminence  and  relative  dignity:  and  accounts  most  naturally  for 
his  peculiar  feelings  toward  them,  from  the  fact  that  he  was  their  kins- 
man, that  he  had  been  one  of  tliem,  that  he  formerly  gloried  to  act  aa 
they  were  acting ;  as  madly,  as  desperately,  as  if  practically  or  con- 
structively glorying  in  the  cause  ! 

24.  Vide,  Robinson's  Wahl  in  voce. 

25.  And  from  one  error  learn  them  all. 

26.  It  is  rather  surprising  to  see  certain  limilarians  sometimes  arro- 
gate to  themselves,  at  least  by  implication,  the  honor  of  exclusive  Cal- 
vinism,as  well  as  exclusive  orthodoxy.  They  are  certainly  in  an  error 
there,  if  what  Calvin  believed  and  taught  may  be  viewed  as  the  crite- 
rion of  what  Calvinism  is.  In  his  institutes  of  the  christian  reli- 
gion, written  (when  about  25  years  of  age)  in  his  theological  youth, 
although  they  were  less  express  on  the  point  tlian  his  subsequent  writ- 
ings, I  recollect  no  sentence  which  determines  any  thing  in  favor  of  re- 
etrictive  views  of  the  nature  of  atonement.  In  his  commentary,  which 
was  his  malurer  work  and  the  rich  mine  whence  many  modern  writers 
have  taken  their  second-hand  wisdom,  and  which  has  never  (so  far  as  I 
know)  been  rendered  into  English  and  published,  his  sentiments  are 
full,  frequent,  conclusive,  in  favor  of  a  full  atonement.  It  may  be  well 
to  transcribe  a  few  of  these.    I  could  easily  give  more. 

1  John,  2  :  2,  where  Christ  is  said  to  be  "  the  propitiation — for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world."  Calvin  says  indeed  that he  would  not  stoop 
to  answer  the  ravings  of  those  who  hence  declare  all  the  reprobate  and 
even  the  devil  himself  to  be  the  ultimate  subjects  of  salvation.  A  po- 
sition 60  monstrous  deserves  no  refutation.  But  olher.»,  who  have  no 
such  purpose,  affirm  that  Christ  suffered  siifficienlli/  for  a'l  men  ;  but 
efficienthj  for  the  elect  alone.  And  this  solution  of  the  matter  is  com- 
monly received  in  the  schools.  I  question  however  its  relevancy  to  the 
present  passage,  while  I  confess  its  absolute  truth."  Hence  (1)  Calvin 
believed  the  fulness  of  the  atonement,  and  made  it  a  part  of  his  chris- 
tian confession.  (2)  Just  as  obviously  is  it  no  modern  speculation  ;  since 
it  had  obtained  in  the  schools  of  protestant  orthodoxy,  even  commonly, 
three  hundred  years  ago.  I  subjoin  his  own  words.  Sed  hie  movetur 
quaestio,  quomodo  mundi  totius  peccata  expientur.  Omitto  phrenetico- 
rum  deliria,  qui  hoc  praelcxtu  repro'.ics  omnes,  adeoque  Satanam 
ipsum  in  salutem  adinittunt:  tale  porteiitum  refutatione  indignum  est. 
Q,ui  hane  absurditatem  volebaut  effugere,  dixerunt ;  Sufficienter  pro 

64 


666 


toto  munJo  passam  esse  Christum :  sed  pro  electis  tantum  efHcaciter 
Vulgo  haec  solutio  in  scholis  obtinuit.  Ego  quanquam  verum  esse 
illud  dictum  fateor ;  nego  tamen  praesenti  loco  quadrare. 

2  Pet.  2  :  1.  "  Even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them."  He  says — 
"those  therefore  who,  despising  restraint,  have  abandoned  themselves 
to  all  licentiousness,  are  deservedly  said  to  deny  Christ  by  whom  they 
were  redeemed.  Moreover,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  may  remain 
safe  and  entire  in  our  hands,  let  us  fix  it  in  our  minds  that  we  have  been 
redeemed  by  Christ  to  this  very  end — that  he  may  be  at  once  the  Lord 
of  our  life  and  our  death :  and  so  let  us  propose  to  ourselves  this  end, 
that  to  him  we  may  live,  and  to  him  we  may  die."  His  words  are — 
Q,ui  igitur  excusso  freno  in  omnem  licentiam  se  projiciunt,  non  immerito 
dicuntur  Christum  abnegare  a  quo  redempti  sunt.  Proinde  ut  salva  et 
Integra  evangelii  doctrina  apud  nos  maneat,  hoc  animis  nostris  infixum 
eit,  redemptos  esse  nos  a  Christo  ut  vitae  simul  et  mortis  nostrae  sit  Domi- 
nus ;  itaque  nobis  hunc  finem  esse  propositum  ut  illi  vivamus  ac  mori- 
amur. 

Rom.  5  :  18.  "  Therefore,  as  by  one  offence  [sentence  came]  upon 
all  men  unto  condemnation,  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one  [sentence 
came]  upon  all  men  unto  justific  ition  of  life."  Stuart's  translation.  Cal- 
vin says,  "  The  apostle  here  makes  it  the  common  grace  of  all,  because 
to  all  it  is  exhibited,  though  to  all  it  is  not  realized  in  eventual  fact. 
For  although  Christ  suffered  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  and  to  all 
without  discrimination  is  he  offered  by  the  benignity  of  God,  yet  all 
men  do  not  apprehend  him."  His  words  are — Communem  omnium 
gratiam  facit,  quia  omnibus  exposita  est,  non  quod  ad  omnes  extenda- 
tur  re  ipsa :  nam  etsi  passus  est  Christus  pro  peccatis  totius  mundi, 
atque  omnibus  indifferenter  Dei  benignitate^Toffertur,  non  tamen  omnea 
apprehendunt. 

Matt.  26  :  28.  "  For  this  is  my  blood  of  the  new  testament,  [covenant,] 
which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins."  He  says,  "  Under  the 
word  many  Jesus  Christ  designates  not  a  part  of  the  world  only,  but 
the  total  human  race.  Therefore,  when  we  approach  the  table  of  the 
Lord,  not  only  should  this  general  thought  occur  to  our  mind,  that  the 
world  has  been  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  but  each  for  himself 
ought  to  consider  that  his  own  sins  have  been  expiated."  I  give  his 
words.  Sub  mullorum  nomine  non  partem  mundi  tantum  designat, 
Bed  totum  humanum  genus.  Ergo  d  um  ad  suam  mensam  accedimus, 
non  solum  haec  generaliscogitatio  in  mentem  veniat,  redemptum  Christi 
^anguine  esse  niundum  ;  sed  pro  se  quisque  reputet  pcccata  sua  expiata 
esse. 

In  modern  technology  (which  I  approve)  they  only  are  said  to  be 
redeemed        are  actually  accepted  in  Christ:  for  all,  atonement  is 


667 


made ;  to  all,  is  it  offered  ;  the  Spirit  striving  through  the  truth  as  ex- 
tensively, as  the  sufficienc}'  and  applicability  of  the  atonement  areexten^ 
sive.  Still,  to  accept  the  offer  and  correspond  with  the  offerer,  is,  in  the 
very  nature  of  things,  the  only  way  to  be  saved.  Are  all  men  saved  1 
Yes — if  all  repent  and  believe  the  gospel !  Do  they  this  ?  He  that 
believes  men  are  saved  in  sin.  or  that  all  men  renounce  it,  must  have 
very  strong  faith  !  We  however  do  not  believe  that  the  atonement 
was  INDEFINITE  in  the  sense  of  the  Remonstrants  of  Holland  or  any 
other  Arminians.  God  had  a  design  in  making  it,  which  no  event 
should  frustrate.  Christ  eternally  designed  the  salvation  of  the  elect ; 
and  for  these,  in  this  sense  exclusively,  he  gave  his  precious  life.  But 
this  makes  not  the  atonement  less  full,  or  alters  its  nature  at  all.  When 
THE  ELECT  are  all  brought  to  piety  and  heaven,  by  supposition,  the 
OTHERS — whoever  they  are — have  just  as  good  an  opportunity  every  way 
to  realize  the  same  blessedness,  as  all  the  world  have  on  the  theory  that 
denies  election.  Election  is  one  thing,  atonement  another.  Election  is 
all  gain  and  no  loss — and  the  reverse  precisely  is  true  of  the  error  that 
denies  election.  See  John,  6  :  3G-40,  44,  65.  10  :  11,  15,  26-30.  17  :  2. 
Eph.  5  :  25-27.  Rev.  17 :  8.  Matt.  25 :  34.  Rom.  9  :  29. 

27.  This  same  one,  as  I  have  heard,  once  attended  a  funeral  at  the 
house  of  a  pious  Methodist,  as  no  other  minister  could  be  procured.  As 
he  sat  colloqually  preaching  to  a  circle  in  the  room,  he  soon  glided  into 
his  favorite  strain  of  vituperation  against  the  "  hirelings  or  divines  aa 
they  call  themselves."  He  concluded  by  warning  his  hearers  to  be- 
ware of  them.  "Yea,"  said  he  with  an  oracular  whine,  "  beware  of  the 
scribes  and  pharisees,  hypocrites."  Rejoined  a  venerable  old  Metho- 
dist, "yes,  my  friends,  and  I  think  you  ought  also  to  beware  of  the 
Sadducees,  who  say  there  is  no  resurrection." 

28.  Such  a  custom  is  most  pernicious — a  gratuitous  kind  of  protestant 
canonizing  of  the  dead,  against  which  christians  ought  to  show  them- 
selves decisive  protestants ;  and  blame  not  the  Q,uakers  alone. 

De  mortuisnil  nisi  bonum,  'tis  said: 
Say  notliing  but  good  of  the  men  thai  are  dead. 
More  cliristian  tlie  adage  if  tli"s  it  had  come — 
Say  truth  or  say  nothing,  'lo  matter  of  whom  ! 

It  is  a  common  and  most  perverse  error.  Men  are  often  blessed  and 
sainted  at  death,  in  a  style  flatly  infidel  and  plainly  false.  "  The  dead 
that  die  in  the  Lord,"  and  no  others,  does  "the  Spirit"  order  to  be 
written  "  blessed :"  and  we  know  of  but  one  way  of  dying-  in  the  Lord — 
and  that  is,  the  way  of  living  in  the  Lord  !    Let  a  man  pass  this  divine 


C68 

limit,  and  he  has  lost  all  rule,  certainty,  truth :  and  so  far  as  his  malign 
power  extends,  he  will  deceive  credulous  multitudes  with  the  hope  of 
rottenness  that  rushes  to  ruin.    In  the  words  of  a  forgotten  author, 

Turk,  Jew,  and  Papist, 
Infidel  and  Atheist ; 
Miglit  ail  enter  in, 
With  scorn  and  with  sin  ; 
If  such  graceless  trust 
Gets  part  with  the  just. 

29.  Let  every  one  keep  to  his  own  vocation. 

30.  The  strict  and  true  exegesis  of  this  passage  is  difficult,  and  haa 
been  critically  controverted.  It  is  here  used  in  its  ordinary  and  popular 
acceptation.  The  moral,  however,  is  much  the  same,  whatever  view 
we  adopt.  Possibly  "  the  Spirit"  is  to  be  taken  in  a  good  sense,  for  the 
grace  of  the  Spirit  of  God  inhabiting  the  mind  of  the  christian.  On 
that  hypothesis,  which  seems  to  me  probable  at  least,  it  ought  to  be  ren- 
dered in  parts  as  two  questions,  and  not  one  merely ;  thus,  "  Think  ye 
that  the  scripture  testifieth  falsely?  Is  it  to  envy  (or  malice)  that  the 
Spirit  persuadeth,  that  hath  taken  up  his  abode  in  us?"^ 

31.  Conscious  rectitude. 

32.  The  subject  of  original  sin  is  often  regarded,  too  grossly,  or  with- 
out due  concessions  and  discriminations,  as  a  cardinal  point,  on  which  if 
a  brother  comes  not  to  my  views  and  phrases,  I  am  at  liberty  and  at 
duty  too  in  denounciation  or  impeachment.  On  this  important  article, 
I  would  remark, 

1.  That  there  are  difficulties  in  the  philosophy  or  metaphysics  of  it, 
which  it  is  either  not  easy  or  not  possible  to  resolve ;  and  which  are  al- 
most equally  great  on  every  theory  that  does  not  utterly  deny  the  doc- 
trine— which  were  an  alternative  of  much  more  and  greater  difficulties ! 
We  ought  perhaps  to  be  modest  and  forbearing  toward  others — espe- 
cially till  toe  can  bKow  (1)  p  ecisely  tchen  the  soul  begins  to  exist,  that  is 
to  endure  forever  ?  {Z)  precisely  when  the  subject  becomes  a  moral 
agent  ?  (3)  precisely  how  n  ig  affected  by  the  sin  of  Adam,  whenever 
it  commences  the  perpetration  of  itqown?  and  (4)  precisely  how  we  are 
metaphysically  to  reconcile  the  facts  ascertained,  with  all  the  known 
principles  of  the  divine  moral  government  ixrid  the  certainly  revealed 
doctrines  of  the  mediatorial  economy  ?  Surely  here  is  some  "debateable 
ground  and  debateable  it  will  long  remain  !  Nor  can  I  see  why  we 
may  not  differ  and  debate  in  such  aspects,  without  disturbing  "  the  bond 
of  peace,"  and  without  specially  marring  "  the  unity  of  the  Spirit." 


669 

Only  I  believe  that  to  settle  such  questions  is  about  as  impossible  as  to 
attempt  it  is  ordinarily  useless.  The  difficulties  are  metaphysical  alone — 
not  practical,  I  take  it.    Tliey  respect  modes  more  than  facts. 

2.  Without  using  any  of  the  many  technicalities  tliat  have  obtained, 
/  would  impeach  or  doubt  the  soundness  of  no  brother  who  should  give 
evidence  of  intelligent  and  honest  faith  in  the  substance  of  the  following 
propositions : 

(1)  That  the  whole  species  are  morally  fallen  and  sinful ;  "  by  nature 
children  of  wrath  "  and  destitute  of  all  conformity  to  the  law  of  God. 

(2)  That  this  condition  results,  in  the  grand  economy  of  things,  from 
the  sin  of  our  first  parents;  so  that  their  sin  was  quasi  ours,  was  in  effect 
ours,  was  in  certain  consequence  the  sin  and  ruin  of  human  nature  ;  so 
that  angels,  could  they  have  known  the  future  historical  relations  of  the 
matter,  would  have  wisely  and  well  exclaimed ;  "  man  is  ruined,  is 
fallen,  is  lost;"  grouping  the  whole  species  in  the  dire  catastrophe. 

(3)  That  depravity,  or  personal  wicl<ednessin  some  form,  commences 
whenever  moral  action  commences ;  and  this  in  every  instance  of  our 
moral  history. 

(4)  That  no  memoer  of  the  race,  old  or  young,  can  be  in  fact  saved 
in  any  other  way  than  that  of  "  the  common  salvation,"  or  as  all  others 
are,  through  tlie  grace  and  mediation  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I  have  some  special  reasons  (with^re  dear  infants — I  trust — in  glory, 
of  whom  the  oldest  was  not  as  many  years  of  age)  to  feel  and  love  the 
doctrine  or  implication  of  the  fourth  proposition;  which  however  I  have 
neither  made  nor  modified  since  their  tenderly  remembered  exit — when 
I  gave  them  cheerfully  and  tearfully  back  to  the  hands  of  Jesus  Christ ! 

3.  There  are  questions  and  facts  unresolved,  on  this  article  of  "  the 
common  faith,"  which  embarrass,  really,  if  not  equally,  every  theory 
that  was  ever  soberly  framed  for  its  elucidation:  such  as  these — Have 
idiots  souls  ?  What  becomes  of  them  ?  and  monstesr,  what  of  them  ?  And 
so  of  millions  of  unborn  children,  of  dead-born,  of  destroyed  embryos, 
&c.  Were  all  these  represented  in  Adam  ?  how  are  they  related  to 
him — how  to  Christ  1  Where  there  is  no  evidence,  we  had  better  have 
no  theory.  The  scripture  is  often  eloquent  in  its  omissions.  If,  for  ex- 
ample, it  had  affirmed  the  salvation  of  all  infants,  or  any  class  of  them, 
under  a  certain  age,  the  consequences  had  been  terrible  !  What  fears 
for  those  who  should  die  ever  so  little  past  that  age !  What  tempta- 
tions to  infanticide  under  it,  especially  to  guilty  parents  !  What  vain 
repinings  and  murmuring?,  among  some,  that  they  did  not  die  earlier  ! 
How  were  the  value  of  life  cheapened,  and  a  due  preparation  for  death 
obstructed  and  postponed !  These  difficulties  are  not  properly  the  opprobria 
theoloffiae— they  are  only  "  the  secret  things  that  belong  to  God."  All 
the  principles  on  the  topic  which  we  need  to  know  and  thoroughly  to 


670 


digest  as  theologians,  seem  to  be  contained  correlatively  in  the  eigh- 
teenth and  thirty-third  chapters  of  Ezekiel,  the  Jifth  of  Romans,  ihejirst 
three  of  Genesis.    But — hie  labor,  hoc  opus  est. 

4.  The  definition  of  original  sin  contained  in  the  Institutes  of  Calvin, 
popular  rather  than  philosophical  or  metaphysical  though  it  be,  is  not 
very  objectionable,  I  should  think,  to  any  soundly  thinking  theologian  ; 
especially  as  explained  in  the  second  quotation  below  :  Videtur  ergo  pec- 
catum  originale  haereditaria  naturae  nostrae  pravitas  et  corruptio,  in 
omnes  animae  partes  diffusa :  quae  primum  facit  reos  irae  Dei,  turn 
etiam  opera  in  nobis  profert,  quae  scriptura  vocat  opera  carnis. — Neque 
ista  est  alieni  delicti  obligatio;  quod  enim  dicitur,  nos  per  Adae  pec- 
catum  obnoxios  esse  factos  Dei  judicio :  non  ita  est  accipiendum,  acsi 
insontes  ipsi  et  immerentes  culpam  delicti  ejus  sustinerimus  ;  sed  quia 
per  ejus  transgressionem  maledictione  induti  sumus  omnes,  dicitur  ille 
nos  obstrinxisse.  Ab  illo  tamen  non  sola  in  nos  poena  grassata  est,  sed 
instillata  ab  illo  lues  in  nobis  residet,  cui  jure  poena  debetur. 

Not  a  bad  definition  for  three  hundred  years  ago,  and  by  a  young 
man  who  had  lived  just  the  fourth  of  a  century.  Contrary  to  my 
first  purpose,  I  venture  to  translate  it :  I  say  venture,  because  some 
may  question  any  rendering  as  to  the  exact  sense  conveyed.  "  Original 
sin  therefore  appears  to  be  the  hereditary  pravity  and  corruption  of  our 
nature,  diffused  through  all  parts  of  the  soul ;  which  renders  us  primarily 
liable  to  the  wrath  of  God,  and  then  produces  in  us  those  works  which 
are  called  in  scripture  "  the  works  of  the  flesh."  This  bond  to  punish- 
ment however  is  not  for  the  sin  of  another  ;  for,  when  it  is  said  that  we 
are  by  the  sin  of  Adam  rendered  obnoxious  to  the  judgment  of  God,  it 
is  not  so  to  be  taken,  as  if  we,  being  innocent  and  without  all  personal 
ill-desert,  were  necessitated  to  suffer  the  blame  of  his  defection :  but,  as 
by  means  of  his  transgression,  we  are  all  indued  with  the  malediction, 
he  is  said  to  have  devolved  it  on  us.  By  him  however  not  the  penalty 
alone  hath  overwhelmed  us :  for,  by  him  instilled  the  moral  mischief 
inhabits  us,  which  is  on  its  own  account  justly  deserving  of  the  penalty." 
I  have  given  his  words  baldly  in  English,  where  I  could ;  and  I  need  not 
Bay  that  the  sense  is  rendered  with  an  honest  aim,  at  least.  My  original 
design  in  quoting  Calvin  here,  was  simply  to  supply  those  who  cared 
for  it,  with  his  own  definition  in  his  own  words.  Since  writing  all  the 
above,  I  have  compared  the  translation,  with  the  more  easy  and  familiar 
one  of  Allen,  and  see  no  reason  to  alter  it. 

I  have  no  sympathy  with  those  hyper-orthodox — whoever  they  are — 
who  assume  that  they  know  (what  God  alone  knows)  precisely  when 
the  soul  commences;  and  precisely  when  moral  agency  begins.  I  know 
that  they  know  nothing  about  it ;  and  that  more  knowledge  or  more 
candor  would  bring  them  to  own,  as  many  of  the  noblest  living  chief- 


671 


tains  of  the  truth  have  done,  their  utter  ignorance  on  such  obscure 
points  of  metaphysical  uncertainty— instead  of  presumptuously  deciding, 
and  even  erecting  them  into  cardinal  and  rallying  points  of  'party  or- 
thodoxy. 

It  is  indieQA  impossible  forme  not  to  distinguish  between  p/iysicaZ  de- 
pravity, and  that  which  is  moral  in  its  proper  nature :  and  hence  by  lues 
I  interpret  that  excellent  reformer  to  mean,  moral  evil  with  its  conse- 
quent misery  and  exposure.  And  according  to  his  own  definition  and 
the  very  reasoning  of  President  Edwards,  God,  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
will  charge  individuals  with  their  personal  sinfulness  and  with  this  alone 
respectively,  in  the  light  of  his  own  spiritual  eternal  law  ;  condemning 
the  wicked  and  pardoning,  through  Christ,  the  good,  according  to  the 
measure  of  that  unalterable  standard. 

5.  A  denial  de  facto  of  this  doctrine  ought  to  be  matter  of  offence  to 
the  whole  church  of  God,  no  matter  who  broaches  or  advocates  the  op- 
posing heresy.   To  say  that  men  are  by  nature  pure  and  innocent,  is 
abominable  ignorance  and  infidel  error.  To  say  that  their  sin  is  merely 
incidental,  owing  to  circumstances  or  evil  example  or  education  or  ne- 
glect, and  might  be  prevented  by  pious  prophylactic  care,  is  the  very 
sum  and  substance  of  pelagianism — a  fundamental  heresy  !    On  this 
article  of  faith  Friends  are  mystical,  evasive,  ignorant,  false ;  as  Fox 
denies  what  he  calls  "the  entail  of  sin,"  and  charges  "the  hireling 
priests,"  with  defending  and  advocating  sin  itself;  because  they  merely 
maintained  the  true  doctrine  against  his  heresy,  that  denies  original  sin 
in  toto  and  affirms  the  infatuated  conceit  of  sinless  perfection  attained 
in  the  present  life.   Barclay  says  that  we  are  involved  (in  some  incon- 
ceivable style)  in  the  fall  of  Adam ;  "  nevertheless,  this  seed  [of  depra- 
vity] is  not  imputed  to  infants  until  by  transgression  they  actually  join 
themselves  therewith."    Those  who  misunderstand  either  the  malady  or 
the  remedy  of  our  fallen  condition,  ordinarily  misunderstand  both;  and 
discern  not  the  glorious  symmetry  of  the  scheme  of  redemption.  God 
imputes  to  us  all  the  sin  we  have  and  all  the  seeds  of  it,  in  every  case, 
and  continually,  till  we  are  pardoned  and  justified  in  Christ  Jesus.  The 
lues  is  the  sin  itself:  and  sin  is — sin,  universally ;  and  this  when  par- 
doned as  really  as  when  punished. 

33.  This  proposition  would  be  comparatively  unobjectionable,  if  the 
sacred  name  were  superseded  by  that  of  the  arch  enemy. 

i   34.  Q,uere — Is  there  any  intcard  testimony  of  the  scriptures, 

35.  Of  which  the  plain  English  version  is — That  any  ignoramus,  of 
either  sex,  may  preach,  any  where  and  at  any  time,  under  internal  in- 
fluence and  responsibility  alone.  See  21,  Infra.  This  is  pretty  large 
license.   Learning,  knowledge,  probation,  and  order,  are  not  quite  ca- 


672 


nonical.  The  avalanche  of  inspiration  clears  the  way  for  itself,  by  its 
own  momentum,  wherever  it  comes.  It  scorns  to  be  anticipated  by  out- 
ward light  of  any  sort;  and  it  can  be  read  and  remembered  afterward, 
mainly  from  the  records  of  desolation  which  its  own  fury  makes  in  the 
formidable  rush  '.  It  seems  not  improper  to  remark  that  the  very  history 
of  Friends  demonstrates  ihe  opposite  of  their  creed  on  this  article.  TJieir 
worst  influences  have  emanated  from  their  most  ignorant  pretenders ; 
their  respectability,  from  the  labors  of  the  more  intelligent  and  the  better 
educated.  This  may  be  seen  as  a  criterion-principle  in  the  schism.  With 
few  exceptions  the  informed  and  cultivated  went  one  way;  the  igno- 
rant and  intractable,  the  other.  Nor  do  I  think  it  wrong  to  record  that 
the  heresiarch  who  led  the  latter  class  was  a  grossly  illiterate  and  ig- 
norant man;  and  touching  his  intellectual  character,  as  sublimely  ele- 
vated in  his  own  imagination,  as  he  was  compassionated  by  all  compe- 
tent judges.  I  have  heard  him  preach  twice,  conversed  with  him  often, 
and  corresponded  on  several  occasions.  I  have  three  letters  of  his  now 
in  my  possession,  which  fully  warrant  these  reflections;  as  sordid  and 
vicious  in  their  literature,  as  false  and  ireacherous  in  their  doctrinal  po- 
sitions. "  That  the  soul  be  without  knowledge,  it  is  not  good."  Prov.  19: 
2.  What  kind  of  inspiration  is  it  that  makes  ignorance  almost  a  neces- 
sary qualification  for  the  ministry? 

36.  This  is  an  article  which,  though  fundamental  to  Quakerism,  is 
not  carefully  protruded,  or  zealously  pressed  into  public  view,  by  mo- 
dern Friends.  What  is  its  bearing  on  the  piety  or  profession  of  all  other 
denominations  ?  It  explodes  all  others,  anixE  as  perfectly  as  this  pub- 
lication denounces  Quakerism.  It  is  however  theoretically,  practically, 
continually,  in  the  very  heart  of  their  system.  The  result  is  that  prayer — 
except  in  instances  "few  and  far  between"  of  apprehended  motion, 
"  the  inward  and  immediate  moving  and  drawing  of  his  own  Spirit," 
prayer  is  almost  wholly  omitted  by  Friends ;  as  it  never  can  be  statedly 
performed,  in  the  closet,  the  family,  or  the  meeting!  This  is  fact,  they 
know  !  Very  few  families  notoriously  have  any  domestic  worship  or  re- 
ligious order  in  them,  they  know  !  They  must  always  "  get  still,"  and 
wait  in  silence  for  a  motion,  (which  often  conies  not,)  and  feel^its  inspi- 
ration in  full  glow,  before  they  worship  at  all.  This  is  horrible  delu- 
sion and  wholly  ANTI-CHRISTIAN.  Luke,  18  :  1-14,  and  especially,  1. 
I  will  put  a  case — such  as  occurs  in  substance'often  in  the  life  of  every 
individual  and  occurs  even  ordinarily,  where  "  man's  extremity  becomes 
God's  opportunity:"  suppose  a  passenger  in  a  ship  at  sea  should  fall 
astern  overboard,  and  swimming  "  with  heart  of  controversy  "  should 
see  the  vessel  glide  diminished  on  her  way,  evidently  ignorant  of  his 
condition.  It  remains  for  him — to  die  and  sink  in  the  vast  sepulchre  of 
vraters  alone.  But  his  strength  will  last  some  moments  or  minutes. 


673 


— Shall  he  pray  or  not  ?  II'  he  were  lo  invoke  the  great  God,  by  the  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  pray  for  mercy  and  salvation  for  his  name's  sake, 
"  coming  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace "  accessible  then  and  in  every 
other  "  time  of  need,"  and  entreat  for  "  grace  to  help  "  him  ;  would  it 
be  "  abominable  idolatry"  and  so  forth,  "  to  be  denied,  rejected,  and 
separated  from,  in  this  day  of  his  spiritual  arising  1"  Is  it  "  will-worship  " 
or  "  superstition  ?"  O  yes !  for  Barclay's  "  eleventh  proposition  "  or 
thesis  says  that  "  all  other  worship,"  and  especially  "  prayers  con- 
ceived extemporarily,"  are  in  this  condemnation.  This  is  impiously  nul- 
lifying the  revealed  system  of  the  grace  of  God  ;  and  needs  only  to  be 
universally  and  consistently  believed,  to  banish  true  worship  from  the 
world. 

37.  I  wonder  if  they  ever  attentively  study  such  a  valuable  work  as 
the  treatise,  by  the  present  excellent  Bishop  Wilson  of  Calcutta,  on 
"  the  divine  authority  and  perpetual  obligation  of  the  Lord's  day?"  or 
Dick's  philosophy  of  religion  ?  or  Dwight's  five  sermons  on  the  fourth 
commandment  ? 

38.  From  the  third  cardinal  numeral,  tres,  is  formed,  t)-i>ius ;  and 
thence,  trinitas  ;  (as  unilas  from  imus  or  universitas  from  universus ;) 
I  judge ;  without  the  word  unus  as  an  etymon  of  its  composition ;  though 
Dr.  Webster  and  others  think  difierently. 

39.  To  subdue  the  proud. 

40.  As  if  in  independent  or  absolute  possession — for  the  time. 

41.  Some  are  so  conscientious  or  consistent  that  they  never  vote ; 
viewing  it  as  unlawful  for  them  and  for  all  men. 

42.  The  last  argument — 

43.  — of  kings — 

44.  — of  laws. 

45.  A  great  Preacher  once  said  thus  to  me,  and  refused  every  an- 
swer but  his  own. 

46.  For  our  altars  and  firesides. 

47.  Some  may  suppose  that  the  author  has  had  sufficient  time  or 
leisure,  in  which  to  give  his  work  the  last  and  the  best  touches  of  cor- 
rection. The  facts  are  otherwise.  While  contemplation  on  the  topics 
involved  has  been  long  habituated,  leisure  he  scarcely  knows :  and  most 
of  this  volume  has  been  written  at  intervals  and  fragments  of  time,  in 
the  last  four  months  of  the  year  1832.  A  large  parochial  charge,  in 
6uch  a  proverbially  busy  city  as  that  of  his  residence,  may  convince 

85 


674 


any  thoughtful  person,  in  some  small  degree,  of  the  impossibihty  that  he 
should  prepare  a  work,  such  as,  in  other  circumstances,  might  seem 
comparatively  worthy  of  public  approbation.  No  part  of  it  has  been 
re-written  for  the  press ;  except  as  the  manuscripts  were  indebted  to 
notes  incidentally  taken  througii  previous  years.  In  the  near  approach 
(as  it  seemed)  of  eternity,  toward  the  end  of  July  last,  when  the  cho- 
lera was  upon  him,  the  thought  that  death  might  supervene  before  the 
purpose  of  publication  was  executed,  determined  him,  if  spared  and  pros- 
pered to  recover,  to  "  perform  the  doing  of  it "  as  soon  as  practicable. 
It  has  cost  him,  with  reduced  strength,  some  effort,  made  often  when 
others  were  sleeping ;  and  without  any  intermission  of  his  public  du- 
ties. He  repeats  the  declaration  that  it  aspires  to  no  superiority  on  the 
score  of  fine  writing ;  being  too  sensible  of  its  real  defects  and  those  of 
its  author  to  indulge  such  a  vanity.  In  regard  to  manner,  if  due  allow- 
ance be  accorded  him,  the  graver  questions,  touching  the  matter  of 
THE  performance,  may  find  a  wiser  tribunal  and  a  more  candid  audit,  as 
well  as  an  equitable  decision,  at  the  court  of  public  sentiment — from 
which,  however,  the  christian  knows,  when  he  needs  it,  to  what  higher 
JUDICATORY  he  may  carry  his  ultimate  appeal. 

48.  Sometimes  two  at  once — both  inspired !  Of  this  I  have  often 
heard,  and  have  myself  once  seen  it.  The  result  on  that  occasion,  when 
a  man  and  woman  rose  at  different  ends  of  their  "  gallery  "  or  long 
continuous  pulpit,  was  (if  I  rightly  remember)  that  the  man,  fausing 
longer,  heard  the  voice  of  his  supplantress  about  50  feet  to  his  left,  (in 
Arch-street  meeting,)  at  which  he  was  startled,  looked  at  her,  and  then 
composedly  sat  down  till  that  head  feminine  of  the  whole  assembly, 
that  female  "master  of  assemblies"  was  done!  Their  commission  to 
"usurp  authority"  of  this  sort  will  be  investigated  hereafter. 

49.  See  summary  of  their  doctrine,  &.c.  "written  at  the  desire  of  the 
meeting  for  sufferings  in  London  1800  "  appended  to  Mosheim,  New- 
York  edition,  1821. 

50.  A  proud  a  priori  argument,  which,  though  abstractly  true,  inas- 
much as  it  is  evident  that  no  contradiction  can  proceed  from  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  yet,  in  reference  to  the  assumed  matters  of  fact  connected  with 
the  inspiration  Friends,  it  is  destitute  of  all  evidence  and  truth:  for, 
the  question  to  be  tried  is  not  the  consistency  of  the  Eternal  iSpirit  in 
all  his  genuine  revelations,  which  none  but  an  atheist  can  deny ;  but 
whether  Friends  are  in  fact  thds  inspiredl    "  Try  the  Spirits." 

"  Moreover,  these  divine  inward  revelation?,  which  we  make  absolutely 
necessary  for  the  building  up  of  true  faith,  neither  do  nor  can  ever 
contradict  the  outward  testimony  of  the  scriptures,  or  right  and  sound 
reason.    Yet  from  hence  it  will  not  follow  that  these  divine  revelations 


675 


are  to  be  subjected  to  the  exanllnation  either  of  the  outward  testimony 
of  the  scriptures,  or  of  the  natural  reason  of  man." — Barclay. 

According  to  this  it  is  plain,  1.  That  the  deniers  (and  I  am  one  of 
them)  of  "these  divine  inward  revelations"  are  all  destitute  of  the 
grace  of  God,  because  destitute  of  that  which  is  "  absolutely  necessary 
to  true  faith."  2.  That  all  such  will  be  lost ;  for,  "  he  that  believeth 
not  shall  be  damned."  3.  That  we  are  required  to  believe  the  vaunted 
fact  that  Friends  are  thus  insph-ed  without  any  evidence.  4.  That 
we  are  required  to  believe  this  alleged  fact  withotU  any  scrutiny  ;  for 
these  "revelations"  are  not  "to  be  subjected"  to  scripture  or  reason. 
This  is  fact — as  well  as  argument !  What  a  paralysis  of  mind  does  this 
pj-stem  inspire  !  What  miserable  credulity  does  it  demand  !  Barclay 
is  "  no  imitator  and  admirer  of  the  school-men,  but  an  opposer  and  de- 
spiser  of  them  as  such;  by  whose  labor,"  says  he,  "I  judge  the  christian 
religion  to  be  so  far  from  being  bettered,  that  it  is  rather  destroyed.'''' 

And  this  is  an  inspired  judgment,  remember.  No  wonder  that  he 
deprecates  "  examination  "  and  all  learning  that  is  equal  to  it.  Having 
utterly  perverted  Christianity,  he  has  reasons  for  degrading  the  wisdom 
that  could  expose  his  deeds  and  manifest  his  darkness.  Let  Christiana 
value  learning ;  and  make  it,  in  its  place,  a  part  of  their  religion  ! 
They  are  recreant  to  Christianity,  if  they  dishonor  that  philosophy, 
which  is  ?io<" falsely  so  called."  I  bless  "the  Father  of  lights"  for 
"the  good  and  perfect  gifts"  of  sound  learning  and  true  science — and 
value  them  religiously  and  for  Christ's  sake,  more  than  in  any  other  re- 
lation incomparably :  and  am  indebted,  by  the  rule  of  contraries,  to 
Quakerism,  in  a  sort,  for^my  deep  conscientious  estimate  of  their  im- 
mense subsidiary  value.  O  that  all  christians  were  sufficiently  wise  to 
abhor  ignorance  as  they  ought,  and  cultivate  its  genuine  opposite  de- 
voutly and  universally !  For  myself,  I  know  enough  to  feel  the  value 
of  learning;  and  much  more  to  feel,  to  my  dying  day,  distressingly,  the 
defects  of  my  own  attainments. 

51.  If  any  doubt  it,  let  him  examine  the  following  scriptures  and 
digest  their  common  scope ;  Numb.  23 :  16.  24 :  2-4,  15-24.  31  :  8. 
Josh.  13  :  22.  24  :  9,  10.  Micah,  6:5.  2  Pet.  2  :  15,  16.  Jude,  11. 
Rev.  2  :  14.  1  Sam.  10 :  9-12.  28  :  5,  6-25.  31  :  4.  1  John,  3  :  15. 
1  Kings,  13  :  20-22.  John,  11  :  49-53.  Matt.  7  :  21-23.  John,  6 :  70, 
71.  1  Cor.  13  :  2.  Remembering  that  the  word  charity  ought  to  have 
been  translated  love,  wherever  it  occurs  in  the  New  Testament. 

52.  Errors  on  the  subject  of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  are  multiform ; 
and  not  confined  to  any  one  aspect,  or  monopolized  by  one  description  of 
men.  It  may  be  well  here  to  state  some  sentiments  that  have  their  re- 
spective advocates,  and  which,  it  is  thought,  may  easily  be  proved  erro- 


076 


neous — some  of  them  dreadfully  erroneous.  We  will  state,  however, 
in  positive  form,  the  views  we  deem  correct,  and  the  opposite  of  which 
will  show  the  errors  to  which  we  refer. 

1.  There  is  no  proper  miracle  in  these  times  connected  with  them 
or  to  be  expected  from  them:  the  same  is  true  inspiration,  RlncWy 
Kiich. 

2.  Miraculous  influence  or  inspiration  is  not  nobler  and  to  he  preferred 
to  ihat  which  mainly  sanctifies  and  cleanses  the  soul  as  the  "living 
temple"  of  God. 

3.  They  are  not  with  generations,  as  such;  but  with  individuals. 

4.  They  are  not  f^iven  to  saints  alone,  or  to  the  elect  alone ;  but  lo 
all  men  who  hear  the  gospel.  Were  all  the  antediluvians,  or  the  hear- 
ers of  the  protomartyr,  saints? 

5.  They  are  not  independent  of  ^'■the  word  of  God,''''  which  is  ever 
"  the  sword  of  the  Spirit :"  as  if  the  agent  and  the  action  were  to  be 
affirmed,  in  exclusion  of  the  uniform  manner  and  the  known  instrument 
of  his  wor  ing  in  all.  We  know  of  no  such  influence,  except  in  what 
may  be  called  the  natural  and  universal  energy  of  God — to  which  abso- 
lutely we  have  no  moral  relation.  Mediately,  it  is  our  privilege  and 
our  duty  to  believe  it,  as  a  doctrine  of  the  word  of  God. 

6.  They  are  not  to  be  identified  with  what  is  purposed  and  effeclual 
— with  the  executed  "purpose  of  God  according  to  election ;"  as  if  with 
them  we  are  certainly  saved :  as  if  one  could  in  no  sense  be  "  made  par- 
taker of  the  Holy  Ghost"  even,  and  perish.  Heb.  6 : 4.  l^^Tatt.  13 : 20, 21. 
2  Pet.  2: 1,20-22.  The  things  are  twain  and  to  be  distinguished — as 
often  they  are  not. 

7.  They  are  not  general  only;  but  special  also:  these  are  as  and 
when  the  influences  take  hold  of  an  individual ;  as  distinguished  from 
others  that  aflTect  the  subject  little  or  not  at  all.  Still,  special  influence 
must  be  in  a  given  degree  powerful  or  it  will  be  resisted  fatally :  for  spe- 
cial and  saving  influences  are  not  always  identified  in  the  event,  how- 
ever they  may  be  in  general  nature. 

8.  They  are;  not  irresistible.  The  error  results  from  confounding 
them  with  the  purposes  of  God,  after  misconceiving  their  nature,  (ij 
Sinners  resist  them  notoriously.  (2)  So  do  saints  in  some  respects,  every 
day.  Will  any  christian  deny  this  in  his  own  case?  (3)  They  are 
resistible  in  their  very  nature,  even  when  not  resisted.  They  were 
better  said  in  such  case  to  be  effectual ;  because  they  then  secure  the 
event,  because  they  were  faializing  otherwise,  and  because  this  is  about 
all  that  orthodoxy  means.  It  is  also,  I  think,  the  usage  and  the  meaning 
of  scripture.  (4)  I  know  not  what  beside  can  be  so  easily  resisted  as 
the  influence  of  the  Spirit!  such  delicacy,  tenderness,  refinement,  holi- 
ness, and  cordiality,  combined,  on  the  one  part;  with  such  grossness, 


677 


presumption,  instability,  and  impurity,  on  the  otKer.  The  Bible  no  where 
represents  them  as  irresistible ;  as  might  be  shown. 

9.  They  are  not  physical  or  mechanical,  instead  moral  and  spiritu- 
al, in  their  nature.  Some  theologues  identify  their  error  here — angrily 
enough — with  orthodoxy. 

10.  We  need  not  be  immediately  and  always  conscious  of  them :  the 
idea  is  enthusiastical,  or  rather  fanatical  and  false — as  well  as  very  ruin- 
ous. Many  a  man  under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  knows  not  what  is 
the  matter  with  him,  and  is  sensible  only  of— moral  wretchedness  or 
some  other  revealed  truth.  The  Spirit  brings  us  to  honor  heartily  his 
own  word. 

11.  Internal  sensation  is  not  to  govern  us,  or  our  feelings  to  be  our 
leaders — instead  of  being  led  and  governed  by  "  the  words  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  teacheth."  We  are  to  walk  neither  by  internal  nor  exter- 
nal sensation — but  by  faith;  and  the  word  of  God  is  our  highest  rule  al- 
ways. Wo  to  the  man  who,  inverting  the  proper  symmetry  of  his  be- 
ing, allows  feelings  to  control  him  in  religion  or — almost — in  any  thing 
else! 

t ,  12.  Their  genuine  fruit  or  result  is  identified  with  all  the  moral  ex- 
cellence or  evangelical  holiness  ever  found  in  ransomed  men. 

13.  Their  mere  restraining  power,  however  vast  or  excellent  it  may 
be  in  certain  aspects,  infers  not  grace  in  the  heart  of  its  subject.  Gra- 
cious affections  are  spontaneous,  positive,  free,  happy,  joyous,  and  com- 
paratively unrestrained. 

14.  They  are  in  any  wise  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation.  Are  not 
regeneration,  sanctification,  illumination,  necessary  ? 

15.  We  are  not  passive  under  their  action — when  all  their  efficacy 
consists  in  actuating  us  in  goodness  !  Not  Friends  only  have  made 
this  mistake  !  I  have  some  reason  for  knowing  that  passivity  doctrines 
are  not  the  legitimate  progeny  of  trutli. 

16.  We  need  not  wait  for  them.    In  fact  they  are  waiting  for  us  

and  the  wailing  system  on  our  part  is  compounded  only  of  false  views, 
contracted  thoughts,  and  disobedient  feelings,  combining  for  an  excuse 
in  sin  !  The  waiting  system  is  ordinarily  subverted  before  conversions  or 
revivals  ensue. 

17.  They  are  not  necessary  to  make  us  accountable,  or  necessary  to 
accountableness.  They  may  increase,  not  constitute,  our  accountable- 
ness.  We  are  accountable  absolutely  and  universally,  perfectly  and 
eternally. 

18.  They  are  not  given  to  reveal  new  truths;  but  to  illumine  our 
minds  and  vivify  our  feelings,  by  faith,  toward  old,  fully  revealed,  and 
well  known  ones. 

19.  They  are  not  given  fo  inspire  our  actions,  or  prerhule  our  vigi- 


I 


678 


lance  or  prudence  or  responsibility  in  the  "  ordering  of  our  affairs  with 
discretion." 

20.  They  are  not  given  independently  of  the  means  of  grace;  or, 
otherwise  than  in  connection  with  them,  and  in  proportion  ordinarily  to 
their  purity  and  due  improvement ;  or,  as  if  involving  contrariety,  in- 
stead of  coincidence,  with  them.  They  honor  those  means  as  their  le- 
gitimate conductors;  and  every  christian  needs  to  be  "educated  in 
righteousness,"  in  a  way  of  child-like  trust  and  duty  attending  on  them  ; 
expecting  God  to  meet  us  in  his  ways  and  lead  us  in  his  paths  ;  being 
constituted  "  righteous  before  God,  walking  in  all  the  commandments 
and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blameless."  Isaiah,  64  :  5.  Exod.  20  :  24. 
"  The  unity  of  the  Spirit  "  means  his  consistency  or  identity  with  him- 
self, and  the  homogeneousness  of  all  his  proper  influences.  The  reveal- 
ed system  is  one  ;  He  hath  inspired  it ;  and  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  "  in 
us  conforms  to  that  unity  and  "  keeps"  it. 

53.  In  all  respects  and  at  all  hazards. 

54.  No  recognition  of  its  existence  in  the  title  page. 

55.  In  New  England,  says  Cotton  Mather  in  his  "  Magnalia,"  the 
Quakers  were  punished,  "non  qua  errones,  sed  qua  turbones,"  for  what 
they  did,  not  what  they  taught,  by  the  magistracy :  and  among  other 
offences  of  intolerable  abomination,  which  they  practised  against  the 
peace  and  decency  of  the  commonwealth,  the  pious  nudity  of  females, 
like  the  naked  goddess  of  Reason  worshipped  in  revolutionary  France, 
or  the  miserable  lupercalians  of  Rome,  was  conspicuous.  Mather  justly 
condemns  their  capital  punishment  by  the  civil  authorities ;  though  the 
instances  were  few  and  in  circumstances  of  provocation  singularly  high  ; 
but  insists  on  their  tumultuary  proceedings,  and  inspired  obstinacy  in 
"  crying  against "  all  authority  of  the  laws,  as  deserving  and  as  abso- 
lutely requiring  the  intervention  of  the  magistrates.  "  I  would  also  en- 
treat the  world,"  says  that  excellent  and  learned  man,  "  that  they  would 
not  be  too  ready  to  receive  all  stories  told  by  the  Quakers  about  their 
New  England  persecution ;  because  the  Quakers  have  in  print  com- 
plained of  such  an  one  upon  two  women  of  their  sect,  who  came  stark 
NAKED  AS  EVER  THEY  WERE  BORN  into  our  public  assemblies,  and  they 
were  {baggages  that  they  were!)  adjudged  unto  the  whipping-post  for 
that  piece  of  devilism.^^  The  same  scene  was  acted,  with  equal  inspi- 
ration, (as  Mosheim  and  other  writers  also  assert,)  in  Old  England,  how 
often  I  know  not;  Fox  himself  (and  all  Friends  have  to  sanction  and 
must  defend  it)  being  the  undenvriter  of  the  history.  He  charges  it  all 
on  the  agency  of  God,  who,  he  says,  inspired  it !  These  are  his  words : 
"  The  Lord  made  one  to  go  naked  among  you,  a  figure  [a  figure  in- 


6T9 

deed !]  of  thy  nakedness,  and  of  your  nakedness,  and  as  a  sign  amonget. 
you,  before  your  destruction  cometh ;  that  you  might  see  you  were 
naked  and  not  covered,  with  the  truth."  I  have  no  doubt  that  all  this 
belongs  legitimately  to  the  'orthodox'  system,  and  may  result  from  it 
again.  Such  things,  generally  such,  that  is,  grotesque  symbolical  ac- 
tions and  "  figures,"  made  each  "  for  a  sign,"  in  some  conspicuous  place 
or  august  presence,  were  common  among  them  in  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury. Many  more  specimens  might  be  given,  and  many  authors  quoted. 
I  have  reason  to  think  that  the  spectacle  of  naked  females,  to  be  piously 
looked  at  "  for  a  sign,"  was  often  repeated,  and  in  a  sort  familiarized, 
in  the  old  country,  before  "  that  piece  of  devilism"  was  repeated  in  the 
new.  Says  Fox,  "  Some  have  been  moved  [no  doubt — moved']  to  go 
naked  in  their  streets,  in  the  other  power's  days,  [meaning  Cromwell's,] 
and  since,  [i.  e.  it  was  all  along  common  in  the  days  of  either  power,]  as 
signs  of  their  nakedness ;  and  have  declared  amongst  them, '  That  God 
would  strip  them  of  their  hypocritical  professions,  and  make  them  as 
bare  and  naked  as  they  were.'  But,  instead  of  considering  it,  they  have 
frequently  whipped,  or  otherwise  abused  them  ;  and  sometimes  impri- 
soned them."  Terrible  magistrates  these  !  Where  was  their  tolera- 
tion? their  charity,  their  faith,  their  regard  for  tender  consciences,  or 
their  respect  for  inspired  actions  and  the  fair  sex  1  There  is  reason  to 
fear  however  that  Friends  themselves  have  degenerated,  very  conside- 
rably, since  these  pure  and  spiritual  times !  Very  few  modern  female 
preachers  are  favored  with  such  inspiration  "  for  a  sign,"  and  few  per- 
haps would  be  found  sufficiently  faithful  to  make  the  demonstration.  Ah ! 
this  worldly  refinement!  But  I  would  not  presumptuously  decide  against 
them.  I  have  witnessed  myself  enough  to  think  they  can  do  almost  any 
thing — when  inspired.  The  moving  of  inspiration  is  the  very  soul  of 
the  orthodoxy  of  their  sySlem — though  they  will  little  thank  me  for 
telling  the  truth  as  it  is  in  this  publication. 

56.  In  respect  to  a  pre-eminently  stupid  calumny  that  "  Friends  be- 
lieve "  quite  extensively,  concerning  a  conspiracy  in  the  Presbyterian 
denomination,  to  unite  Church  and  State,  and  all  that,  I  can  only  say, 
being  about  as  deep  in  the  plot  as  Dr.  Green  himself  or  Dr.  Ely  even, 
that  we  should  all  utterly  despair  of  accomplishing  the  important  object 
during  the  present  century,  were  it  not  for  one  circumstance — which  I 
feel  some  hesitancy  in  evulgating!  But  it  is  truth,  I  know;  and 
hence,  without  consulting  one  of  my  fellow  conspirators,  or  divulging  my 
present  purpose  to  any  human  being,  I  will — I  think — just  write  it  here, 
come  what  may;  and  say  with  Pilate,  "what  I  have  written,  I  have 
written."  Take  it  then.  We  do  not  despair  of  the  enterprize,  be- 
cause— WE  CANNOT  ;  FOR  IT  NEVER  H.^D,  AND  NEVER  CAN  HAVE,  ANY  IN- 


i 


680 


( .t.PTiON  OR  EXISTENCE  l/fPresbyLerians  would  have  more  to  lose  and  lets 
to  gain,  than  any  other  sect  probably  by  such  adulteration !  Any  man 
who  wishes  more  information  on  the  subject  may  call  at  my  house  at  his 
leisure — any  time  after  the  29th  of  February,  1833 :  and  in  the  mean 
time  I  would  refer  him  to  the  constitution  of  the  Presbyterian  church ; 
Confession  of  Faith,  chap.  23,  and  Form  of  Government,' chap.  1,  or,  if 
this  should  not  satisfy  his  deep  patriotic  suspicions,  I  refer  him,  for  a  full 
exposition,  and  a  thorough  eclaircissement,  and  a  most  convincing  de- 
monstration, of  the  whole  matter,  to  the  infallible  showings  and  guid- 
ings  and  leadings  and  dreamings  especially — of  the  inward  light! 
aince  it,  as  Fox  says,  "  hath  dominion  over  all  and  deceives  nobody." 

57.  Rt.  Rev.  Chas.  P.  M'llvaine,  D.  D.  in  his  Evidences  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

58.  Dr.  Campbell's  translation  ;  the  degree  of  the  darkness,  as  total, 
is  plainly  the  sense  of  the  text. 

59.  See  the  learned  reasoning  of  Jones  on  the  Canon  of  the  N.  T. — 
a  very  valuable  work ! 

60.  The  work  done,  irrespective  of  the  motive. 

61.  This  was  written  previous  to  the  schism,  when  Friend  Hicks  was 
living  and  prosperous.  It  is  not  at  present — far  from  it,  I  am  persuad- 
ed— wholly  without  application ! 

62.  To  this  there  are  some  exceptions,  (perhaps  many  to  me  un- 
known,) who,  as  such,  had  been  more  complete  and  mighty,  if  their 
iloctrinal  views  of  the  nature  and  relations  of  the  atonement  had 
been  thorough  and  discriminating.  Among  these  I  am  happy  to  name 
our  truly  venerable  and  excellent  late  countryman,  Lindley  Mur- 
HAY.  In  his  "  Compendium  of  religious  faith  and  practice ;"  in  his 
numerous  and  useful  compilations  ;  in  his  private  writings  inserted  in  his 
"  Memoirs  ;"  and  in  his  constant  experience  and  conversation  :  to  say 
nothing  of  his  long  and  most  exemplary  sufferings  as  an  imprisoned 
invalid:  lie  so  honored  the  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST  and  his 
GLORIOUS  atonement,  that  I  feel  singular  freedom  and  pleasure, 
uniting  with  the  popular  voice  of  two  hemispheres,  in  acknowledg- 
uig,  as  the  peerless  crown  to  the  many  accomplishments  of  a  highly 
linished  character,  that  the  title  of  christian  belongs  to  him.  Would 
to  God  that  every  Friend,  and  every  baptized  person,  were  equally  en- 
lightened and  sincere !  While  I  really  reverence  and  love  his  me- 
mory, and  am  one  of  thousands  whom  his  publications  have  benefit- 
ed, and  have  much  reason  tenderly  to  esteem  in  the  Lord  several  of  his 
lionored  relatives  in  this  city ;  while  I  know  that  he  inculcated  too  much 
fiound  truth,  and  elevated  the  standard  of  orthodoxy  too  near  its  proper 


681 

altitude,  to  be  very  acceptable  in  his  doctrinal  influence  to  Friends  general- 
ly :  I  am  compelled  to  record  my  regret  that  he  did  not  proceed  farther  ; 
that  he  did  not  avow  the  paramount  authority  of  the  scriptures  as  the 
WORD  OF  God,  with  all  the  consequent  obligations  and  duties  of  such 
"  a  good  confession  ;"  and  my  conviction  that  the  reliquiae  of  his  Qua- 
kerism constituted  a  real  and  even  a  great  defect  in  his  otherwise  exalt- 
ed and  very  amiable  character,  duakerism  would  be  still  wrong  and 
false,  if  every  one)  of  its  nominal  members  were — in  spite  of  it — aa 
sound  and  christian.  His  many  redeeming  excellencies,  however,  form 
a  capital  that  may  well  sustain  (as  few  others  could)  the  brunt  of  the 
allegation  in  our  impartial  estimate.  I  could  not  do  justice  to  my  own 
sense  of  duty  were  I  to  say  less :  and  great  is  the  joy  of  my  soul  in  hoping 
to  meet  all  the  pious  dead  in  the  eternal  world,  and  in  that  palace  of 
"  light  ineffable"  where  "  the  spirits  of  just  men  are  made  perfect,"  as 
well  as — through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb — admitted  and  forever  glorified 
together. 

The  COMPENDIUM  of  Mr.  Murray  I  take  to  be,  every  way,  one  of  the 
most  worthy  documents  I  ever  saw  from  a  member  of  the  society.  Its 
simple  classic  excellence  of  diction,  constitutes  not  at  all  its  highest 
claim — it  is  generally  so  clear  and  sound  in  its  matter!  Still,  I  object 
to  it;  (1)  that  it  is  so  wary  in  not  asserting  the  supremacy  of  the  scrip- 
tures :  and  (2)  that  its  other  defects,  resulting  from  that  prime  one,  are 
such  and  in  detail  so  many.  If  my  own  fatlier,  or  any  nearer  relative, 
were  the  subject  of  animadversion  here,  I  could  not  suppress  or  qualify 
this  censure  ! — or  record  it  with  scarcely  more  anguish  of  heart !  And 
as  for  the  praise — it  is  wholly  founded  on  the  recognition  of  qualities  de- 
rived from  Christianity,  as  contradistinguished  from  Q,uakerism  ;  quali- 
ties that  have  rendered  the  compendium  unacceptable  and  useless,  where 
it  was  designed  to  be  especially  adapted  and  serviceable  ;  qualities  that 
have  commended  their  subject  to  the  esteem  of  christians  everywhere, 
not  more  than  they  have  discommended  him  to  many  of  his  own  de- 
nomination. 

63.  With  the  anraiuersar?/ abominations  of  heathenism — sol  et  annus — 
was  its  known  and  base  and  proudly  pompous  original :  and  much  the 
same  could  be  said  of  myriads  of  other  excellent  and  even  holy  worda. 

Solemnes  turn  forte  dapes  et  tristia  dona 
Ante  urbem  in  luco,  &c. 

Annua  vota  tamen  solemnesque  ordine  pompas 
Exsequerer,  strueremque  suis  altaria  donis. — Viro. 

64.  Pythagoras  divided  the  doctrines  of  his  dogmatism  into  two 
classes :  the  exoteric,  which  were  publicly  avouched  and  inculcated ; 
and  the  esoteric,  which  were  entrusted  to  the  initiated  alone.   I  do  not 

66 


682 


mean,  however,  by  this  allusion  to  the  sage  of  Crotona  and  the  father  of 
dogmatic  philosophy,  that  Friends  resemble  him  in  all  his  errors,  or  that 
they  practise  a  systematic  legislation  of  one  code  of  principles  for  the 
nation  and  another  for  the  clan :  but  only  that  some  of  their  sages  see, 
and  sometimes  confess  to  each  other,  certain  truths,  of  whose  exoteric 
currency  they  would  not  be  particularly  ambitious.  Any  usage  of  theirs, 
which  seems  to  me  to  be  a  limb  of  their  system  and  properly  no  limb  or 
member  of  Christ,  I  think  it  just  to  bring  into  the  animadversion  of  the 
community. 

Nullius  addictus  jurare  in  verba  magistri. — Hon. 

To  no  dogmatic  master  am  I  sworn  ; 
To  think  and  act,  a  freeman,  was  I  born. 

There  is  one  hidden  feature  of  their  system  oa  which  I  might  volu- 
minously enlarge — not  so  much  the  mystic,  as  the  mythic  or  fabulous 
character.  Their  old  men,  as  well  as  "  old  wives,"  have  "  fables "  of 
the  marvellous,  as  "a  secondary  rule"  almost,  a  store  of  them.  These 
they  relate  and  interchange,  with  very  placid  satisfaction,  in  select  cir- 
cles around  the  fire  of  a  winter's  evening ;  Avhile  the  younger,  with 
"ductile  minds"  intent,  listen,  wonder,  believe,  and  become  edified  in 
their  turn  to — transmit  the  precious  treasure  to  their  heirs  of  a  coming 
generation.  These  goodish  stories  are  very  entertaining,  romancing  if 
not  quixotic — only  that  it  is  so  spiritual  and  so  inspired  and  so  fresh  in 
the  experience  of  Friends,  that  "  the  truth  "  in  comparison  is  plausibly 
and  practically  disgraced — 

Loses  discounteuanc'd  and  like  folly  shows. 

In  this  way  they  illustrate,  manifest,  and  enforce  "  what  Friends  be- 
live,"  more  impressively  than  "  truth  and  soberness  "  could  ever  affect 
them.  I  might  almost  compose  a  distinct  volume  of  Quaker  mytliology, 
Irom  notes  and  my  own  memory;  recollecting  a  score  at  least  of  quite 
interesting  stories,  all  luciferous  and  tributary  to  the  interior  light  with 
its  prodigious  efficacy  and  feats.  Their  stories  seem  all  true — to  those 
who  think  it  'carnal  reasoning'  to  apply  the  known  laws  of  evidence: 
and  the  inference  is  hence  all  '  in  the  light,'  very  sincere,  and  no  very 
bad  logic  either,  that — their  system  is  tnie !  They  believe  it;  and  so  did 
their  fathers  before  them,  who  knew  when  and  where  it  happened  and 
all  about  it :  and  their  children  believe  it  in  their  turn,  and  transmit  the 
precious  information  to  their  children,  and  so  on  progressively ;  while, 


683 


like  old  wine,  it  continually  improves  by  time  and  travel.  All  this,  and 
a  thousand  other  things  of  the  sort,  result,  I  think,  from  the  system. 

Mobilitate  viget,  viresque  acquirit  eundo. — Virg. 

By  motion  increasing,  it  prospers  and  grows  ; 
New  vigor  acquires  and  new  speed  as  it  goes  ; 
Believed  and  rehearsed,  till  each  trusts  it  and  knows  : 
But  tells  it  to  Friends — since,  why  should  they  to  foes  ? 

65.  The  italicising  is  all  his. 

66.  Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  received  from  a  respectable  hand 
the  following  bill  of  exhibited  abuse  in  England,  which  I  am  as  willing 
as  any  man  in  the  world  to  denounce  and  expose.  Where  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  is  secularized,  subordinated  to  the  mere  ends  of  intriguing 
statesmen,  and  made  a  mighty  wheel  in  the  machinery  of  political 
oppression,  I  say  with  any  others — it  is  Christianity  no  longer:  no  more 
of  it !  Let  its  end  come  !  Religion  can  best  flourish  and  protect  the 
state,  when  left  free  and  independent  of  all  such  perilous  and  polluting 
influence.  If  God  will  not  uphold  Christianity,  let  it  fall !  Only  spare 
it  from  the  embrace  in  which  it  perishes ;  from  the  communion  that  is 
its  dishonor  ;  from  the  ignoble  and  rickety  supports  that  prevent  a  safer 
basis  and  portend  a  dreadful  fall  I 

It  is  one  of  the  hand-bills  that  were  circulated  through  the  kingdom 
by  thousands,  during  the  late  pendency  of  the  spirit-stirring  question  of 
HEFORM.  I  would  Suggest  a  thirteenth  reason — Because  the  church  ia 
not  the  state,  and  the  state  is  not  the  church ;  and  since  God  hath  not 
joined  them  together,  it  is  lawful  for  man  to  put  them  asunder.  What 
a  horrid  misnomer,  to  call  a  collection  of  worldly  and  greedy  aspirants, 
the  church !  as  they  often  do,  meaning  ultimately  themselves  alone.  I 
know  there  is  "  salt "  in  the  church  of  England ;  possibly  even  in  some 
■of  its  high  places,  where  the  King  of  heaven  is  duly  honored  as  its 
proper  and  only  legitimate  head. 

TWELVE  REASONS  why  Dissenters  should  not  be  compelled  to 
pay  church  rates,  tythes,  or  in  any  way  to  contribute  toward  the  support 
of  the  Establishment. 
Because — 

L  The  cause  of  God  and  truth  ought  to  be  supported  by  the  volunta- 
ry contributions  of  its  adherents— and  is  disgraced  when  compulsory 
measures  are  adopted. 

2.  It  is  compelling  Dissenters  to  support  a  system  which  they  con- 
scientiously view  as  unscriptural. 

3.  Dissenters  derive  no  commensurate  advantage  in  return  from  the 
Church. 


684 


4.  Dissenters  bear  all  the  expenses  connected  with  their  places  of 
worship  without  asking  or  receiving  any  aid  from  the  Church. 

5.  There  is  nothing  more  fair,  equitable,  and  unobjectionable,  than  that 
every  denomination  of  professing  christians  should  meet  its  own  expen* 
diture. 

6.  The  Church  has  resources  in  herself  amply  sufficient  to  defray  all 
her  pecuniary  engagements. 

7.  It  is  taking  from  Dissenters  an  amount  which  they  might  much 
more  profitably  employ  in  the  cause  of  christian  philanthropy. 

8.  It  is  an  infringement  of  religious  liberty,  and  in  direct  violation  of 
the  divine  mandate,  "  As  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also 
to  them  likewise."  How  would  Churchmen  approve  a  compulsory  tax 
for  the  support  of  Dissenting  places  of  worship  ? 

9.  The  remission  of  this  claim  by  Churchmen,  would  efface  one  foul 
blot  which  now  attaches  to  the  Establishment. 

10.  Many  Churchmen  see  the  impolicy  and  injustice  of  thus  taxing^ 
Dissenters,  and  are  prepared  to  concede  the  point. 

11.  Dissenters  now  equal,  if  they  do  not  exceed  in  number,  Church- 
men. 

12.  On  no  principle  of  honor,  justice,  or  henesty,  can  the  exaction  be 
defended,  and  therefore  reform  here  must  ensue. 

On  a  moderate  calculation,  the  washing  of  surplices  costs  this  nation 
annually,  upwards  of  £13,000 !  A  considerable  proportion  of  this 
amount  is  exacted  from  Dissenters.  Might  not  the  whole  be  much  more 
beneficially  appropri  itetl  1 

"  There  are  probably  in  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland, not  including- 
the  Roman  Catholics,  not  less  than  8,000  congregations  of  Dissenters  ■; 
which  build  their  own  places  of  worship ;  which  sustain  their  own  minis- 
ters ;  which  support  their  own  'colleges,  to  the  number  of  nearly  20  ; 
which  conduct  the  tuition  of  perhaps  7,000  Sunday  Schools ;  and  which 
expend  nearly  £150,000  in  support  of  Foreign  Missions." 

67.  But  in  other  ways  and  in  thousands  of  forms,  can  they  be  nobly 
useful  and  excellent  auxiliaries  to  the  ministry.  They  can  sometimes 
speak  well  and  effectually,  as  also  eloquently,  in  private  circles  and  to 
individuals,  for  their  Master's  honor;  witness  the  lady  mentioned  page 
16  of  this  volume.  They  can  subserve  most  valuably  the  usefulness  of 
others.  For  we  need  "  helps,"  as  well  as  "  governments,"  in  the  church 
of  God.  Thus  Priscilla,  the  beloved  Persis,  Junia  and  Phebe,  Euodias 
and  Syntyche,  with  other  "  honorable  women  not  a  few,"  helped  the 
apostles  usefully  and  acceptably ;  as  Paul  says  of  one  of  them  to  the 
church  :  "  Receive  her  in  the  Lord,  as  becometh  saints,  and  assist  lier 
ya  whatsoever  business  she  hath  need  of  you  ;  for  she  hath  been  a  sue- 


685 


corer  of  many  and  of  myself  also."  An  honorable  testimony — which 
I  could  bear  in  favor  of  many,  who  have  in  different  ways  assisted  me 
in  the  Lord ;  and  of  one  (now  a  member  of  my  own  church  and  the 
wife  of  one  of  its  honored  eldership)  who,  when  I  was  "  perplexed,  but 
not  in  despair,  persecuted  but  not  forsaken,  cast  down  but  not  destroyed," 
60  kindly  and  wisely,  in  the  love  of  Christ,  "  ministered  unto  me  of  her 
substance,"  Luke,  8  :  3,  and  in  other  ways  encouraged  me  in  God,  when 
I  first  knew  him,  that  my  heart  will  never  forget  its  obligations  to  Mrs. 
Sarah  Sayrs — and,  if  it  were  equally  pertinent,  I  should  have  previ- 
ously named  her  excellent  husband,  Mr.  Isaac  Sayrs  ;  both  remembered 
by  many  with  similar  sentiments  and  feelings.  "  The  Lord  grant  unto" 
them  and  their  large  household,  that  they  "  may  find  mercy  of  the  Lord 
in  that  day  !"  However  little  it  may  be  in  my  power  to  compensate 
their  generous  and  christian  kindness,  I  rejoice  to  think  that  "  my  God 
shall  supply  all  their  need,  according  to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ 
Jesus."  And  to  many  other  friends  indeed,  do  I  extend  the  hope  and 
the  invocation  that  God  would  crown  them  with  grace  and  glory,  in  his 
own  perfect  kingdom. 

68.  On  one  occasion  a  dumb  animal  of  the  sex  prophecied  "  with 
man's  voice."  Shall  we  argue  here  from  a  rare  exception,  to  a  gene- 
ral rule  of  prophetic  investiture,  and  instate  an  order  of  such  officers  in 
the  church  ?  I  know  of  no  other  instance  in  the  scriptures,  where  in- 
spiration ever  authorized  their  preaching :  and  have  no  idea  that  a 
solitary  precedent  of  the  sort  ought  to  be  pleaded  in  favor  of  their  regu- 
lar ministration.  Numb.  22  :  25. 

^  69.  Venfum  erat  ad  limen,  cum  virgo,  Poscere  fata 

Tempus,  ait :  Deus,  ecce,  Deus  !   Cui  talia  fanti 

Ante  fores,  subito  non  vuUus,  non  colour  unu3, 
_^  ^     Non  coraptae  mansere  comae :  sed  pectus  anhelum, 

Et  rabie  fera  corda  tument ;  majorque  videri, 

Nec  morlale  sonans  :  afflata  est  numine  quando 

Jam  propiore  Dei. — Virg. 

Their  inspiration  often  shows  some  of  the  contorsions  and  gesticula- 
tions of  the  Cumaean  sibyl— shivering,  transported,  tremulous,  unnatural 
in  voice,  as  if  borne  along  by  a  tide  of  irresistible  influence,  in  spite  of 
themselves.  It  is  heathenism  !  How  "  gross "  are  their  conceptions 
who  see  no  sin  in  forging  the  signature  of  God ;  declaring  one's  self 
inspired — when  it  is  not  so  ! 

70.  See  note  55. 

7L  I  have  taken  these  lines  chiefly  from  the  '  Universal  passion,'  by 
Dr.  Young.  Those  referring  to  the  nudity  of  females  "for  a  sign,"  I 
have  mainly  supplied,  (referring  to  note  55,)  for  the  following  reasons : 


686 


(1)  Very  few  have  heard  or  believe  the  facts  of  the  case,  as  they  are 
well  authenticated. 

(2)  I  not  only  believe  that  they  occurred,  and  that  often,  in  the  times 

of  Cromwell  and  the  second  Charles,  as  well  as  on  several  occasions  in 
New  England,  but  that  they  are  legitimate  fruits  of  the  system  I  put 
this  torvous  dilemma  to  Friends :  Either  this  "  sign "  business  results 
from  the  system,  and  eo  may  occur  again  ;  or,  the  system  is  false ;  for, 
its  capital  foxian  inspiration  authenticates  it  as  true,  solemnly  sanctions 
it,  and  refers  it  absolutely  to  the  agency  of  God,  who  "  made  "  them  do 
it.  If  the  latter — the  proposition  in  the  title  of  this  booli  is  demonstrated : 
if  the  former,  then  let  the  public  judge  a  system  that  inspires  such  ac- 
tions and  may  unexpectedly  at  any  time  turn  droves  of  naked  females 
into  "  your  streets,"  as  Fox  says,  "  for  a  sign  before  your  destruction 
Cometh  !"  I  think  indeed  that  the  title  of  this  book  is  fully  proved  by 
either  alternative :  for  when  did  Christianity  ever  inspire  "  that  piece  of 
devilisml"  If  a  Friend  admits  the  facts,  and  condemns  them  too — he 
condemns  Fox,  and  his  inspiration,  thus  blowing  up  the  system  at  once ! 
In  fact  a  Friend  must  go  the  whole  ;  and  in  all  consistency  every  other 
person  must  canonize — or  cannonade  the  total  mass. 

Q,uakerism  is  not  Christianity  :  and  let  the  man  who  can  see  no  dif- 
ference, read  the  inspired  mottos  of  this  book,  and  refer  the  matter,  if 
he  chooses,  to  the  unalterable  decision  of  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ, 
staking  the  hope  of  his  own  salvation  on  the  forlorn  expectancy  that 
there  it  will  not  be  exploded  and  anathematized  forever !  "  If  we  be- 
lieve not,  yet  he  abideth  faithful ;  he  cannot  deny  himself." 

 ahvvatbv  i^ewyao^ai  0eoy  -  ■ ' 


THE  END. 


■ 

Date  Due 

Mr  28*38 

_      ^    _ 

! 

(|)! 

